


Then I Met You

by midnightskies



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Actor Louis, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Army, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Angst, Baker Harry, Boys are in a band, F/M, Famous Louis, Fluff, I didn't plan it to be this long, Jealousy, Law Student Harry, Loneliness, Louis missing Harry A LOT, M/M, Minor Character Death, Nervous Harry, Ordinary Harry, They are really sappy, ending is the sappiest thing I've ever written, which I didn't actually plan on happening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-09-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 17:40:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 46,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightskies/pseuds/midnightskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How they met is always quite the romantic story that people love to listen to because it gives them hope. How they stay together through everything they have to conquer is even more inspiring. How they love each other is undeniable. That is probably why it was all the more painful when Harry told Louis that he had signed up for the army. </p><p>Or, the one where Louis is a famous actor who dubs Harry, Harold of the Bakery after meeting him while hiding from paparazzi. The one where Louis makes dreams come true by taking Harry to the sold out Free Skies concert. Being best friends with the band has it's privileges, or so that's what Niall always told him. Or, just the one where Oreo cupcakes make everything better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Then I Met You

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic that I have decided to post, so yeah, I kind of got carried away. It was only supposed to be a short one, hope you like it.. 
> 
> Oh and note, I own nothing except the storyline and a few characters, obviously.
> 
> Also, follow me on [Tumblr](http://www.fckuniall.tumblr.com)

Harry and Louis always called it fate that they met, what are the chances that Louis Tomlinson, famous British born actor would stumble across Harry Styles, normal boy from Cheshire who held no extraordinary qualities in his opinion. Though Louis tended to disagree.  

It was a Friday that they met, Harry always found this ironic, as Friday always used to be his least favourite day, he found the day very over rated. However, after meeting Louis it was his favourite day, because that's the day his life changed for the better, of course.   

Harry was working in the bakery he'd been working in since he was 16 years of age and was legally allowed to earn his own money in the world, Harry never really celebrated birthdays, he didn't really like the fuss and the waste of money on just another day, but his 16th he couldn't wait for. Finally he'd be able to get a job, and help his mum out, see Harry was not a selfish person, and he didn't like taking things from others, and him earning his own money, made spending money easier for him. It always felt nicer for him to spend his own hard earned money rather than his mothers. It was a normal Friday afternoon, Harry could now work more hours in the bakery rather than just Saturdays as he was now 19 years old and it was the Summer and he had recently returned home from his first year of University where he was studying Law.   

This Friday in the bakery wasn't that different from any others, however, Harry was working on his own, over the years they'd come to trust him more, and they knew he'd be able to handle the undoubtedly quiet Friday afternoon in the bakery. Quite ironic really, Friday always seemed to be their least busy day, maybe it was because everyone was too preoccupied thinking about the weekend to even consider coming into the bakery, and buying what Harry thought to be the best cupcakes he'd ever tasted, though his opinion could be bias, as he made the cupcakes. Harry was sitting behind the counter reading some book that he'd picked up from the library that at first seemed interesting but the more he read he found it boring, as much as he wanted to stop reading because he couldn't stand the clichéd plot line, he needed to find out what happened. He was so engrossed into the stereotypical boy meets girl plot line that he didn't even hear the bell of the door sounding; he didn't notice anyone enter the bakery until he heard someone clear their throat. He was so startled he almost fell off his chair, he dropped the book on the floor, cursing himself as he lost the page, "Oops," he said more to himself than anyone else. He heard a chuckle, reminding him that there was someone else present in the room.   

He looked up, and he was amazed. He'd never seen anyone with such piercing blue eyes, Harry liked to think they were like the sky and the ocean, both very free things, and both very much important to living. Quite ironic when Harry looked back really as Louis was almost essential to Harry living. Standing in front of him was one of the most beautiful people he'd ever seen, he looked so fragile yet so dangerous. He was wearing a black low-neck line top so Harry could see his tattoos on his chest, they marked his skin so perfectly, his hair was styled in a quiff, but it was not perfect, it almost gave the vibe that he didn't care, but Harry was almost certain that he did care.   

"Hi, um, sorry to bother you, but do you mind if I just hide in here for a bit?" The unnamed boy said in his voice which held such a distinct accent that Harry knew he wasn’t a local, and gave Harry a reassuring smile, Harry wondered how he'd lived his whole life content without seeing a smile as genuine as his, when he smiled it was like his whole face lit up, his eyes sparkled making them look even more like the sky on a sunny day, his eyes also had crinkles by them, which Harry couldn't help but find adorable. Harry then suddenly realised that he'd been looking at the boy without saying anything for some time, he quickly blushed, and looked down while trying to compose himself.  

 "N-no, I, uh, don't mind, as you can see we're not exactly overflowing with customers, you, uh, should be safe to, um, hide here." Harry spoke in his deep voice, yet almost cursed himself for sounding so vulnerable and unsure.   

"Great! Thanks, um, sorry what was your name?"  

"I, uh, Harry, my name is Harry." Harry spoke carefully, trying not to fault any of his speech. The unnamed boy laughed quietly before speaking again.  

"Are you sure? You don't sound pretty certain? Well my name is Louis, Louis Tomlinson actually, and if we're going for a really formal introduction it's Louis William Tomlinson, at your service." The boy named Louis smiled and gave a mock bow almost as though Harry was royalty.   

Harry let out a hearty laugh, "Yeah, I am sure, um, well Louis William Tomlinson, my full name is Harry Edward Styles, if you really wanted to know." 

"Is it just Harry, or is it short for something like Harold, or Harrison?" Harry smiled as he tried to imagine himself being name Harrison.   

"Everyone just calls me Harry." 

Louis smiled at him,  "Well I like the name Harold, so I now name thee, Harold of the bakery." Harry giggled, wait, he then stopped himself, did he seriously just giggle. He then thought ‘Harold of the bakery’, hmm, seemed quite fitting considering he'd been working there for around 3 years.   

"I, uh, thanks I guess, but most people just call me Harry. If you don't mind my asking, why are you hiding anyway?" Harry hesitantly asked, he didn't really want to pry into his life, and he didn't want Louis to be angry with him for asking questions. Harry realised he had nothing to fear when Louis smiled at him again.   

"Well young Harold, you see, I was travelling through here when my car broke down, so I waited with my driver, you know for the car to be fixed, tragically I was recognised, next thing I know, there are a few paparazzi, so I battled my way through the terrifying creatures named paparazzi and I have been avoiding them for the past hour. Until I stumbled upon this lonely bakery, seemed like a good place to hide really, no one in here except you, of course, wouldn't be hounded by people wanted to find out about my life." Louis excitedly explained his story using hand gestures like sword fights when talking about paparazzi, as though he was some knight coming to rescue a princess.   

Harry smiled, "I'll have you know, that we are usually quite the popular bakery, it's just Fridays always seem to be quiet, I've yet to figure out why, but I'll get there some day. Why were to paparazzi chasing you? Are you some hotshot celebrity who has a scandalous love life that the entire world is dying to read about?"   

Louis laughed, "That is exactly what they think I am, but there is a difference between a thought and the truth, is there not? I mean I could think that fish really fly but that doesn't mean they actually fly. I am an actor actually, been in quite a few films, one recently actually, I played a soldier. My love life however, well really it's non-existent, but to the paparazzi, I have a long list of females that I have been associated with, obviously most of them just friends." Harry seemed to think for a moment.   

"An actor? Hmmm, what level are you at? I mean, um, how do I phrase this, I, uh, are you like, um Robert Downey Jr or Johnny Depp famous? Or whose the other one, in that tragic story with the ship, um, he dies in the end actually, quite sad really, doesn't get to be happy with the girl, I don't really get the rave over the movie to be honest, story line is good, yeah, but it's all just a bit too tragic you know. Kind of reminds me of a Mayday Parade song, that's called, um Terrible Things, you heard of it? Great song, I mean the ideas aren't the same, but the overall thing is, you know, like um, boy meets girl, fall in love, something tragic, one of them dies, and heartbreak really. I love the song personally, favourite of mine, I love how honest it is you know, 'don't fall in love there's just too much to lose', that's a lyric from it, and I, uh, I like how it goes against everything else, you know, like most other things tell you in your life you're definitely going to fall in love and this one is telling you not to, because the side effects are brutal. I, um, it just reflects my fears I guess, like losing something you love, and I, uh, sorry, I'm telling you a really pointless story." Harry cut himself off when he realised Louis was chuckling to himself quietly. He actually felt quite embarrassed, his mum always told him he was like a coin, heads he spoke to much and tails he barely spoke, there was no in-between, there was a 50/50 chance, you'd never really know what you were going to get with him.   

"I happen to love your pointless story. Yeah I'm an actor, um not quite sure if I am at that level yet, dream of mine to be, but not too sure. I think you're talking about Titanic there, love." Harry's heart skipped a beat, Louis continued, "Yeah I get what you mean, I never really warmed to the film either, don't hate it, but I don't love it either, guess I'm on the fence about it. No I have not heard of that song, but yes I will be googling it later, it sounds beautifully heart breaking. Don't apologise for talking, I like listening to you babble, because in that you just told me your favourite song, a movie you dislike, your fears, the fact you love the honesty about heartbreak but hate the tragedy of it, you gave me the idea you don't really keep up with celebrities lives, I mean come on, who doesn't know Leonardo DiCaprio. You got carried away in talking about what you like, and I love that. You are definitely an interesting person Harold Styles, and I wouldn't mind learning more about you." Louis spoke with a smile.   

Harry looked down and blushed, before looking up ready to talk again, but trying not to talk too much, he'd already given a lot away about himself, to a stranger at that, "Quite the perceptive character you are, I'd like to know more about you as well, all I know is that you're an actor by the name of Louis Tomlinson and you're originally from Yorkshire, you're not giving much away. Oh, and I know you dream of being as big as Robert Downey Jr one day." Louis smiled at him.   

"I never told you that I was from Yorkshire, but if you want to be more specific, originally I'm from Doncaster."  

Harry smiled, he'd never visited Doncaster before, but now he'd met Louis, he wondered if everyone else in Doncaster was as great as him, "Yeah, uh, your accent kind of gave that away," Louis let out a quiet laugh.   

"Well there are 4 things you know about me. You know I come into this bakery, expecting to be waited on hand and foot like the prince I am, and yet you haven't even offered me a cup of tea, a cupcake or even a loaf of bread, very rude service no wonder it's so quiet in here." Louis joked.   

Harry panicked, Louis was right, he was being very rude, how could he even forget his manners, he worked in a bakery for crying out loud, he was surrounded by cakes and food, there was a kettle right behind him, how could he forget to offer someone food and something to drink. Oh god, and Louis told him he'd been running from paparazzi for an hour already, he must be hungry, or even thirsty. He quickly stood up to put the kettle on, almost falling over in the process. Oh gosh, he hadn't even asked Louis if he wanted to sit down.   

"Hey, I was only joking, don't panic," Louis calm voice startled him out of his trance, but still he didn't reply, he needed to make sure Louis would forgive him for being so rude. Harry could feel his heart beating faster and he could feel himself beginning to sweat. "Harry, calm down, I am fine, I was joking okay? Don't freak out, love. I should be apologising to you, I distracted you from doing your job. It's okay, just calm down." As Louis was speaking he was slowly approaching Harry who was standing by the kettle cursing it for being so slow, all he wanted was hot water so he could make Louis a cup of tea, so Louis would be happy. Louis started worrying when he heard Harry's breathing speed up, so he reached out to him. Harry suddenly felt someone touch his arm; he pulled away quickly, probably looking like a deer caught in headlights, he turned around and saw Louis standing there.   

"Harry, I need you to calm down okay, look at me, listen to my voice, I'm fine, I was joking, a stupid joke really, I shouldn't have said it. Right, do you want me to hug you?" When Harry shook his head, Louis sighed. "Please Harry tell me what I can do." Harry reached for his hand first, as if he were testing the water, Louis just let Harry; he then began rubbing circles on Harry's hand. After a few minutes Harry moved his other hand up Louis' arm and over his torso, all the while Louis just stood there waiting for Harry to be comfortable. "I won't hurt you, Harry." Harry just looked at him with intense eyes, but didn't say anything. They stood there for a few moments longer before Harry stepped closer to Louis, and just watched Louis without saying anything, almost as if he were judging whether or not he'd hurt him. Harry again stepped closer to Louis, then wrapped his one arm around Louis' neck, and started stroking the hair at the base of his neck, after a few moments he wrapped the other arm around his neck and buried his head into Louis' shoulder, almost bending down so this was possible. "Is it okay if I hug you back?" When Louis felt Harry nod his head against his shoulder he wrapped his arms around the taller boy's waist, Harry practically melted into him as he did this hugging him even tighter, as if he were afraid to let go. They stood there for a few moments, Louis comforting Harry while his breathing was slowing down.   

"There you go, love, see everything is fine. Calm down. Now, do you want to tell me what just happened?" He felt Harry shake his head against his shoulder, Louis then sighed. "Please, love? I only want to help you." Louis waited a couple of minutes while Harry prepared himself to speak.   

"I, I," Harry took a deep breath. "That, that hasn't happened in so l-long, I, I was doing so, doing so well." He broke off when he felt a lump in his throat. Louis shh'd and soothed him, rubbing circular motions on his back until he felt okay to speak again, "I, I guess it started in school, um, I was never, um, popular, labelled a freak I guess, I mean, uh, I used to panic, all the time, over simple things. I, I tried to be as nice to people as I could, and L-lou, they'd never respond, no, no matter how nice I was. They were all so rude, I, I never wanted to be like them, I was always nice, and uh, I guess I thought I was being rude to you, and I couldn't bare it." Harry was almost sobbing now, "I, I don't want to be like them Lou."  

Louis kept rubbing circular motions on Harry's back until his breathing was normal; Louis felt his heart break at how vulnerable Harry looked right now. "Harry, I'm fine, I was joking okay? I said I wanted to get to know you, and I still do, you're not rude, you're actually one of the nicest people I've ever met and politest, I mean earlier when you asked me why I was here, you said 'if you don't mind my asking', I mean who even says that anymore. Those kids were stupid, they missed out on the opportunity to know you, I for one am definitely not passing up that chance. I don't care about a bloody cup of tea okay, to be honest, I forgot all about being hungry when I started talking to you. You are quite distracting Harold."  

Harry chuckled into Louis' shoulder, "I, uh, thanks Lou, sorry about this, I'm a mess," Harry frowned.   

"No you're not, you're wonderful." Louis smiled down at Harry, "You know that's the third time you called me Lou, I think it's starting to grow on me," Harry blushed.   

"I, uh, sorry, I didn't realise. I think um, the kettles boiled now, so how many sugars, if any?" Harry extracted himself from Louis' arms and suddenly felt cold. He walked over the kettle, which he could see was boiled, he got two cups and put tea bags in them, he looked over to Louis expectantly.   

"Just the one for me, thanks." Louis smiled; Harry nodded and turned back to making the tea for himself and Louis. He added one sugar to his as well, he turned around and saw that Louis had gone to sit at one of the tables in the bakery, they didn't have many, people often joked that they were more like a cafe than a bakery, but Harry didn't like to over think it. He grabbed two Oreo cupcakes and sat down on the table by Louis. Louis thanked him, and then took a sip of his tea.   

"Ow, well, that is hot. Obviously, it was just made, sorry I always do that. So care to tell me what cupcakes we're eating?" Louis looked at Harry.   

"These, are Oreo cupcakes, speciality of mine, I'm hoping to earn your forgiveness with their deliciousness." Harry said with a smile.   

Louis looked at Harry then took a bite of the cupcake, once he'd finished the mouthful he looked at Harry, who was looking at him expectantly, "Well Harold, I now also know, that you cook fabulously, these cakes are amazing, but you don't need my forgiveness, I was never angry at you Harry, but if you are ever looking for my forgiveness give me one of these, and I'm sure you'll earn it. Bloody hell, these are delicious."  

Harry looked down and started eating his cupcake, the two sat in silence for a while, it was nice, comfortable. Louis looked at Harry sympathetically; he could tell something was still bothering him.   

"Care to tell me what's wrong Harold?"  

Harry thought for a moment, thinking about how he was going to phrase this question and not offend Louis, "Why are you so nice to me?" He finally decided on saying. 

Louis laughed nervously, "What do you want me to be mean? Hate to burst your bubble Harry, but I don't think I could be mean to you if I tried my hardest. You need to stop doubting yourself; you deserve to have people being nice to you. Just because you encountered rubbish people in your school life who don't appreciate amazing people like I do. I like you Harry, I want to know more about you, you intrigue me. No one has done that in a while, so if you don't mind, I would like to know more about Harry Edward Styles. He seems quite the interesting character."  

Harry blushed; no one had ever been this nice to him before, well apart from his family, he looked at Louis, looked into his eyes and was surprised that all he saw was honesty. It was so overpowering, he had never seen someone look so honest and innocent at the same time, Louis actually, seriously thought Harry as wonderful as he was saying. Suddenly Harry became overwhelmed, he didn't know what to say, what do you say when someone compliments you, but you don't believe it, so you feel bad accepting it? "I, um, thanks Lou, I think that's one of um, the nicest things anyone’s ever said to me, actually." Harry looked down blushing, damn; he was doing that a lot today.   

Louis chuckled; Harry thought he'd never heard a better sound, "No problem Harold, I only wish that you believed it. I mean," Louis was cut off as someone had walked through the door of the bakery. "You should probably go and serve them, don't worry about me I'll be fine on my own for a few minutes." Louis said as he sensed Harry's hesitance. Harry got up and walked to serve the girl who looked to be in her late teens maybe early adulthood. Louis watched as Harry explained what each cupcake was with a smile, he looked so at home, so content just explaining his cooking, Louis also sensed that he looked quite proud to have created these cupcakes, he chuckled at his own thoughts. Obviously, his chuckle was louder than the intentional quiet one he planned, as both heads by the counter turned to face him.   

"No way, you're Louis Tomlinson, what are you doing in Holmes Chapel? I can't believe this; I don't even know what to say, wow. I only came here because I was hungry, and now I see Louis Tomlinson. Just to let you know I've just been to see 'The Battalion', good lord, you were brilliant. Heartbreakingly honest character really, you presented Henry so well." The young girl babbled when she recognised Louis, she started walking towards him and away from Harry. Harry then frowned quickly. Louis smiled at the girl, and then looked over at Harry who had confusion written all over his face. Harry didn't really keep up with movies in the cinema, so he had absolutely no idea what this girl was on about. 'The Battalion' he'd never heard of the film.   

"I, uh, thanks, it was quite hard to get into character at first, you know, put yourself in his shoes, but I loved playing Henry after I knew what I was doing. I loved filming 'The Battalion' so I'm glad you enjoyed watching it, glad my hard work paid off." Louis smiled at her, she looked like she was going to burst, she was searching through her bag, no doubt for a camera or a pen and paper. She finally found what she was looking for and Louis found she produced a camera and a pen and paper. She pushed back her dark curly hair that had fallen in her face.   

She hesitantly pushed them towards Louis, "Do you mind? Sorry if I'm bothering you."  

"It's no bother, love." 

Harry's heart sank as he heard Louis call her that Louis called him that. He had only known him for less than an hour so he had really no right to be possessive, but he felt that the nickname ‘love’ was reserved for him. Not her. Harry looked and saw that Louis was just finishing writing on the paper, once he had finished, she thrust the camera towards Harry, quite rudely if he were honest. It sort of just made him feel bad and brought back bad memories of him being pushed aside. "Take a picture of us, would you?" She said to him, no please in there Harry noted. Harry silently nodded, and took the camera from her, he snapped two pictures of the two, in case she didn't like the first one. She snatched the camera from him then turned to hug Louis, Harry saw her slip something into his pocket. She pulled away and gathered the pen and paper with the autograph that was placed on the table, and turned to leave. Before she left she turned back to Louis and said, "Thanks Lou, and don't be shy with that piece of paper in your pocket." She winked then left. Harry quickly tried to compose himself she called him Lou as well, Harry called him Lou, and thought he was special for doing so. He quickly grabbed the cups from the table and the plates that had held the cupcakes. He ignored the fact that both cups of tea were still half full and poured them down the sink, ignoring Louis as he washed the dishes. She didn't even buy one of his cupcakes.   

Louis watched him cautiously, his heart had sunk when he heard the girl being so rude to Harry, Louis just wanted to tell him that everything was okay, and he deserved more, but he didn't think Harry wanted compliments right now. Instead he looked in his pocket, and pulled out a small piece of paper with a phone number on and writing above the number that said 'Call me?' with a winking face and a kiss next to it. Louis sighed, he hated when people did this to him, he always felt bad if he didn't call but he never wanted to call, so instead he just ignored the paper and put it back in his pocket, ready to throw it away later. He walked over to Harry hesitantly, who was still silently washing the dishes.   

"Harry, are you okay?"   

Harry turned to face him, his face emotionless, "Of course I am Louis," Louis cringed, it was the first time he had called him by his first name since he started calling him Lou. He liked Lou, he was getting used to hearing it out of Harry's mouth. The name Louis almost sounded foreign, even though that's what he had been called for the past 21 years. "Why wouldn't I be okay?" Harry continued.   

"I never said you weren't, you were just, you just didn't seem okay. Sorry if that annoyed you by the way, it happens all the time. Quite annoying really, nice though, to know I'm meeting people who love my work, just sometimes it can interrupt my personal life, and I don't like that."  

"No, it's, um, it's fine Louis, really, I get it, you're famous. More famous than you implied at first. Must be nice, having girls practically throw themselves at you." Harry said, even though in his mind, it wouldn't be nice. Harry himself, had never come to a conclusion about his sexuality, he didn't like to label himself, if he fell in love with a boy, he fell in love with a boy and if he fell in love with a girl, he fell in love with a girl. It is what it is really. He always got confused when he thought about it, because there was never one he liked more than the other, so he just didn't like to dwell on it.   

"No having girls throw themselves at me isn't nice, I don't know, I mean I just don't want anything complicated you know. I don't think they understand that I'm not really interested. Harry don't brush it off, it isn't fine Harry, she was really mean to you. She pushed you aside like you were nothing." As he said this Harry looked down, he really needed to show less emotion; Louis was going to think he was some kind of freak if he cried in front of him again in one day. He couldn't help it though; he felt the tears welling up in his eyes.   

"Honestly, it's fine, I'm, um, I'm used to it. Being pushed aside I mean, she was s-so interested in the cupcakes before she saw you. She, she was interested in me. Not in that way, but she, uh, she was listening to what I had to say. Until she saw something b-better," Harry broke off and turned away from Louis, facing back towards the sink, "'m always going to be second best, I-I'm used, I'm used to it." Harry got out before he had to hold back the sobs that were threatening to spill. Harry felt arms encircle his waist from behind and he felt Louis' forehead resting against his shoulder.   

"'m sorry, it's my fault, I was trying to get you to realise that you're important then that happened." Louis said, his words muffled by Harry's t-shirt.   

Harry turned in Louis' arms then wrapped his own arm around Louis' waist, "Not your fault Lou," Louis' heart suddenly warmed. "It's bound to happen, you're you and I'm me. You know? Just, please, don't blame yourself. You didn't make her be mean." Harry said as Louis buried his head into Harry's shoulder.   

Louis smiled against Harry's shoulder, and Harry smiled as he felt it. "Don't put yourself down Harry." Louis suddenly panicked as he felt Harry begin to extract himself from the hug, he held on tighter, "Harry, can you just, can we just stay here for a bit longer, it's, um it's nice."  

Harry agreed and Louis smiled as he felt Harry's arms around him again, they stood in silence for a few moments before Harry spoke again, his voice was so soft when he spoke, Louis felt like singing even though he was an actor. "I shouldn't feel this comfortable around you, Lou." Yet Harry made no move to leave the hug.   

"Don't think about it, I should be leaving soon, I'm pretty sure James is going to send out a search team soon." Louis said as he remained in Harry's arms.  

"Who is James?"   

"Driver."  

"Oh, right. You're right, you probably should be getting back to him, you've been in here for at least an hour, and you said you were hiding for an hour before that. Celebrity like you needs their babysitters." Harry laughed as he nudged Louis' side earning a squeal from the shorter boy. 

"James isn't my babysitter, oh if he heard you say that. James is my friend and driver, I really should be going though." Louis said as he began to extract himself from Harry's arms. 

He heard Harry say a quiet "Okay." He looked up to see Harry looking at the floor biting his lip.   

"Come on Harold, don't just stand there, get me a piece a paper, a napkin, your forehead, anything. I need to write my phone number down for you. I was serious when I said I wanted to get to know you." Harry quickly went behind the counter and got a napkin from the pile he kept on the side just in case. He brought it back over to Louis who already had a pen in his hand, Harry looked at him quizzically, "Always handy, just in case you run into fans." Harry smiled. After he'd finished writing, Louis handed him back to napkin, Harry placed it in his pocket before he lost it.  

"Seriously Harry, if I don't here from you I will be coming back here demanding an Oreo cupcake as your apology for not wanting to be friends with yours truly." Louis chuckled, he pulled Harry back in for another hug.  

"Don't worry Lou, I'll call you, but you're always welcome to come back here. Might need a hand with the extraordinary amount of customers here." Harry laughed at his own joke, pathetic really, but it was okay because Louis laughed as well. They shared the hug for a little longer before Louis pulled away, once again stating that he really should leave. He then gave Harry money for the tea and cupcakes, saying that he couldn't let Harry's generosity of trying to give Lou the cupcake for free run the business into the ground. They both said their goodbyes to each other along with promises that they'd keep in contact. Louis actually made Harry pinky promise, because those are special promises that most definitely cannot be broken.   

Once Louis left Harry pulled the napkin out of his pocket and looked at what was written on there, first he saw Louis' number which Louis had written the biggest of everything. The next thing he'd noticed was Louis' scruffy yet perfect writing, which said 'Don't be shy Green eyes', Harry smiled to himself, Green eyes, how original. The writing Harry noticed had been traced over a few times to make it look like bold print. Next to the writing was a smiley face and two kisses. Harry quickly got out his phone and opened up the Internet, he was eager to find out who this Louis Tomlinson character was. What he found was astonishing, he wasn't sure whether it was good or bad.   

First, he found Louis' name linked with at least ten female's names, and there were many articles calling him things like a 'man whore', Harry didn't like that, so he closed that page, who would call Louis things like that. The next site he went on was a movie review site, and it praised Louis for his most recent performance in 'The Battalion', which had it's opening weekend 2 weeks ago. Another website came up with a list of all the films Louis has been in and all the awards he has won. Louis hadn't been in many films, but the roles he had played had earned him enough attention. He discovered that Louis had recently became famous, due to the roles he had performed in the past few years, Harry was not really shocked he didn’t know him, he barely paid attention to new films and he was terrible with names. Harry was shocked, Louis told him he wasn't very famous, but by the response to the films he'd stared in, Harry concluded Louis was just being modest. Harry then found a website called 'thetomlinbums' he clicked on it and was redirected to a fan site for Louis, after he looked into it more, he discovered that Tomlinbums was what Louis' fan base called themselves. Interesting, Harry thought. He closed the Internet and opened his text messages, and quickly typed a text message to Louis and added the number on the napkin, his text read,  

**You better not have given me a fake number because now I think I may be a Tomlinbum. - Harold**

Harry smiled to himself before putting his phone away and opening his book back up again, trying to find his page before beginning to reluctantly read the clichéd plot line once more.   

Harry found himself checking his phone every 10 minutes for the rest of his shift, and every time he checked he was disappointed to see that Louis hadn't replied. After he closed the shop, he stayed behind for a little while to clean the bakery, just before he was about to leave, he checked his phone again, and still no text from Louis. Harry frowned to himself, what if Louis did give him a fake number, or the wrong number and Harry would never be able to see him again. He shook his head as to dismiss the thought, he then put his headphones in his ears and connected them to his phone, he liked to listen to music while walking home from work, it made the whole journey seem shorter.   

It didn't take him long to walk home, but still when he got home no text from Louis. He saw his mum was in the kitchen so he went inside to greet her, while in the hall he looked at all the pictures placed on the wall, from when he and Gemma were babies, pictures of him at all ages up until now. The most recent picture he saw was one taken at his Mum and Robin's wedding not long ago. Harry liked Robin, he made his mum smile. Harry walked through to the kitchen and said hello to his mum, who greeted him in return.  

"How was work today then, any more busy than usual?" Harry liked having these conversations with his mum, it made him think that someone was interested in his life. No matter how boring the story, his mum would always listen to him.   

"It got busier as the afternoon went on, but someone came in today, he was really nice and friendly." Harry smiled as he thought of Louis once more, but then he stopped smiling, he hadn't heard his phone go off in his pocket yet.   

His mum looked at him excitedly, "Oh, and who would this be who has made you so happy?" Harry rolled his eyes,   

"His name is Louis, it's nothing like that anyway Mum, he was just really nice, I, um, I had a panic attack today, not a very big one, Louis was able to help me before it got really bad. He was great, he just seemed to know what to do, and you know, usually, I don't like anyone touching me or anything when I have one?" Harry's mum nodded, "Well he hugged me to calm me down, and I didn't mind, I don't know why, but it was just reassuring, like I felt safe. He was very friendly, I didn't really learn much about him other than where he's originally from and his job, but I just feel like I've known him for ages, I can't explain it, it sounds so much stupider when I say it out loud. He gave me his number, because he said he wanted to know more about me, said he found me interesting, which is odd. I text him around two-ish but he still hasn't replied." Harry said while frowning.  

His mum looked at him, "I'm glad he was able to help you, I might have to meet him to thank him. Don't question what you're feeling, if you feel comfortable around him, you feel comfortable around him, it doesn't matter whether you've known him 20 minutes or your whole life. I told you that you were an interesting person Harry, he probably just hasn't text you back because he is busy or something, maybe his phone has run out of charge or something, don't jump to conclusions. You're not giving me much here Harry, what's his full name, his job, where is he from? I need to be able to judge to see if he is good for my baby." His mum smiled as she ruffled his curls.   

Harry sighed. "Not a baby Mum, um, well he is from Doncaster originally, um he is an actor, you might know him actually I know how much you love films, um, his name is Louis Tomlinson," Harry had barely finished saying his name when his mum jumped up from where she was sitting, and walked over to him.   

"You must be joking, Louis Tomlinson, the Louis Tomlinson? He was in Holmes Chapel? Why? Wow, I know you don't really keep up with films or celebrities lives, but come on you must have heard of Louis Tomlinson?"  

"Mum, I didn't know who Leonardo DiCaprio was earlier, you know, the one from the ship movie. Well Louis' car broke down and he came into the bakery."  

"Honey, you can't not know who Leonardo DiCaprio is, there must be some law against it or something. Okay tell me everything." His mum then sat down next to him eagerly waiting for him to recite the story to her. He carefully explained everything that had happened, making sure he didn't miss out any important details. The entire way through his mum was smiling widely at him, when he finished she opened her mouth to speak, but then she closed it, as if no words could be formed. 

She thought for a moment before saying, "Louis Tomlinson finds my baby interesting, I knew I kept you round for a reason." She joked as she once again ruffled his curls, he laughed along with her, "Seriously, don't even worry about him not texting you back, from what you have told me, he seems very interested in wanting to get to know you. I'm sure you'll hear from him soon, he's probably just busy being a celebrity and all." He smiled at her, before standing up and telling her he was going upstairs for a while and to call him down for food when it was ready.   

The night went quite fast in Harry's opinion, Harry listened to his mum and found himself checking his phone less and less as the night progressed. He decided to check his phone one last time before he went to sleep, still nothing. He rolled over and went to sleep, hoping Louis would text him tomorrow.   

***  
When Harry awoke the next morning, the first thing he did was turn his alarm off, He almost glared at his phone hearing the overplayed sound coming out of it's speakers, he always questioned why he never changed it but then he would come to dislike that noise just as much. He then checked his phone to see if Louis had replied, he frowned at his phone, still Louis hadn't replied to his text. He sighed as he stood up and got ready to go to work. Once he was dressed he headed downstairs to make himself some toast for breakfast, while he was making himself some, he made his mum and Robin some toast and a cup of tea each, and took them upstairs. Once he came back downstairs he quickly ate his food, and left the house, walking towards the bakery.   

Once he got there he washed his hands and put on his apron so he could start making some cupcakes. As he was almost finishing making them, he heard his phone ringing, he sighed, he couldn't answer it yet, his hands were covered in cake mix. He quickly went over to the sink and washed his hands, he then took his phone out of his pocket to see who the missed call was from. He almost jumped for joy when he saw Louis' name on the screen of his phone. He immediately rung him back.   

"Good morning, Mr. Tomlinbum." He heard Louis' cheery voice say. 

He smiled to himself, "Hey Lou."  

"Did you Google me, Harold? I can't believe you found out about the Tomlinbums, don't worry though, me and my fans plan to take over the world, and it's a good thing you found out now, you can still join us and we might spare your life." Louis joked and Harry wondered how someone could be so happy in the morning, it was almost unnatural.  

"Gee thanks Lou. You might spare my life? Here I was thinking we had something special, Mr. Celebrity."  

"Sorry Harold, but I am already in a committed relationship with your Oreo cupcakes, did I not tell you yesterday?" Harry laughed.   

"Well then, you'll be delighted to know that I am making a fresh batch right now."  

"Is this just a trap to get me to come and see you again? See young Harold, the chances are I would have come to visit you again, Oreo cupcakes or not."  

"I feel honoured."  

"So you should, it's not often a big celebrity like me takes interest in the cute boy from the bakery."  

"Cute boy from the bakery?"  

"Duh. It's your contact name and everything."  

Harry smiled to himself, "I think I can live with that."  

"Sorry I didn't text you back last night, I got back home to London and was told off because I was supposed to be having a movie day with Liam, Niall and Zayn, so we changed it to a movie night instead, I didn't even think to check my phone."  

"You're not talking about the Liam, Niall and Zayn, I think you're talking about, are you?" Harry almost screamed down the phone.  

"Which Liam, Niall and Zayn are you thinking about? If it's 3 annoying brats, then yes we're talking about the same people."  

"Liam, Niall and Zayn from Free Skies? You know the band?"  

"Of course I know what band my best friends are in Harold." Harry could almost hear Louis rolling his eyes.  

"Your best friends? What? How?"  

"They did a song for one of my movies, we got talking at the premier, and we kind of just clicked from there. I take it your a fan then?" Louis chuckled.  

"I basically sleep, eat and breathe their music, Lou."  

"Hmm, I wouldn't pin you down as someone who likes indie music."  

"I like a lot of different music but I don't just like Free Skies, and indie music Lou, I love it."  

"You wound me Styles. You know them but not me, you cut me deep, they are going to gloat so much over this."  

"Sorry Lou, you know I'm not a fan of movies. My mum knows who you are though, I think she was cursing me for not knowing you." Harry laughed.  

"Tell your mum I like her, and that she has good taste in movies."  

"She also wanted to thank you for yesterday Lou, you know, when I had the minor panic attack and you prevented it from getting worse."  

"Oh it's nothing really Harold, just little old me saving the day again."  

Harry laughed, before looking down at the tray of cupcake cases with cake mix in them that had still yet to go in the oven, "I better go actually Lou, I need to put some cake mix in the oven."  

"Well don't let me stop you from creating perfect tasting cupcakes, I'll text you later though, yeah? I'd really like to go out with you sometime." When he heard Louis say this, Harry found himself smiling so much it almost had his cheeks hurt.  

"I'd like that, a lot."  

"Good. Expect to be hearing from me very soon."  

"Okay, goodbye Lou."  

"Bye Curly." Harry smiled then hung up, he quickly put on his oven gloves and put the cake mix that was placed carefully in the cupcake cases in the oven. Once he placed them in, he heard his phone go off and smiled when he saw it was a text from Louis.  

**Just thought I'd let you know, I have some backstage passes to the Free Skies concert next weekend in London. Boys gave them to me last night, that's why I was ringing, but I didn't really fancy you screaming in my ear like some kind of fan girl, so I thought I should text you instead. Stop jumping round and text me back whether you want to come or not. - Lou**

Louis was right, Harry was in fact jumping around the kitchen of the bakery almost screaming, his mum had tried to get him tickets to go and see Free Skies, but she couldn't get them in time, he thought he'd have to go another year just watching videos of their performances online. Once he had calmed down he text Louis back,  

**Sounds absolutely fantastic. Wow. Thank you so much Lou.**

Harry smiled to himself, and almost instantly he got a text back from Louis.   

**No problem Harold, just me making dreams come true once more. No big deal. I'll text you later with more information and stuff, and just so you know, in my mind this is a date Harold.**

Harry found himself smiling widely again as he typed his reply,  

**I will be awaiting your text Mr. Celebrity, don't worry I have been thinking it was a date from the beginning.**

Again Louis' reply was almost instant.  

**Good, glad we're agreed Green eyes, I'll talk to you later x**

Harry almost screamed when he saw the kiss on the end of the text, he smiled as he got back to work, the other staff members commented on how happy Harry looked for the rest of the day, every time he was asked Harry would just brush it off saying that the sun was shining so it was the perfect day to be happy.   

***  
For Harry the next week flew by, it was a blur of work and excitement for his date with Louis on Saturday. The only person that came close to being as excited as he was, was his mother. She was ecstatic, she also gloated to Harry that she was right in saying Louis would text Harry back. Harry panicked half way through the week though, he suddenly realised that the concert would finish quite late, and it was in the middle of London. He would have a hard time getting back to Cheshire, he text Louis with his dilemma, Louis replied,  

**No worries Harold you are welcome to stay at mine, you can sleep in the spare room though, I don't want to seem too forward. You know me anyway Harold, I am a classy lady, I do not sleep with my dates after the first date, you have to at least make it to the third date. In all seriousness though, you can stay wherever you feel comfortable.**

Harry had thankfully booked the Saturday off work, everyone understood and Harry was grateful. Saturday lunchtime saw Harry checking over his room for what seemed to be the fourth time, making sure that he didn't forget anything important. He had decided to take the clothes he was going to wear to the concert in his bag, and change when he got to Louis' house. Harry was going to take the train down, and Louis was going to meet him at the train station, from there they were going back to Louis' to drop off Harry's bag and get ready to the concert. Harry decided to take a book on the train to keep him occupied, and he would listen to music as well. Before Harry left his house, he quickly thanked his mum for helping him chose what to wear, he gave her a hug before he left for the train.   

The train ride, Harry found to be over quite quickly, well quicker than he thought it would be, however he found that as he was walking off the train on the way to meet Louis he was steadily getting more and more nervous. He didn't see Louis at first so he decided to wait outside, thinking maybe Louis wasn't here yet. He got out his phone and was ready to text Louis, when someone put their hands over his eyes from behind.   

"Guess who?" He heard Louis distinctive accent in his ear.  

"Uh, Barack Obama?"   

Louis let out a huff of annoyance, "No, silly." He removed his hands from Harry's eyes, "It's me." Louis smiled.   

Harry turned around and looked at Louis in shock, no wonder he didn't recognise Louis waiting for him, because the person standing in front of him was wearing almost a disguise. He was wearing glasses to cover his perfect blue eyes, and a hat to cover his face. Obviously, Louis was trying to avoid any paparazzi spotting him.   

"Nice look." Harry said smiling.   

"Thanks, I was going for the secret spy kind of look, but honestly, I don't think I have mastered that look." Louis said as he picked up Harry's bag and started walking.  

"Lou, you don't have to carry that, I can do it myself." Harry said as he tried to reach for the bag.  

"Harold, it's fine, you just concentrate on getting your pretty little self, safely back to my flat. I think I've got your bag covered." Louis and Harry shared a laugh.   

While they were walking back their hands seemed to brush often, though neither made a move to grasp the others hand. Harry suddenly had a burst of confidence, and grabbed Louis hand in his. He was shocked at how small Louis' hands were in comparison to his. Harry glanced at Louis from the corner of his eyes, and saw that Louis was trying to hide a smile. They walked in silence all the way to Louis' flat, just enjoying each other's company.   

It didn't take them very long to get to Louis' flat, when they got there Harry was amazed, Louis' home was amazing, he'd expected that from his fame he would have an insanely big house with a hot tub and a tennis court outside, but Louis' home was surprisingly smaller than expected and very homely. Located around his flat were what Harry only imagined to be props taken from various movie sets. Harry saw that on one of the walls, there was a plaque, which said the words 'home is where the heart is', Harry smiled. Harry looked around what he could see of the flat, and it was what he could only describe to be very Louis-like. It was random yet brilliant, just standing in there felt very comfortable for Harry.   

"Sorry for the mess, I kind of lost track of time and forgot to tidy before you came. Uh, the guest room is through there if you want to get settled." Louis said as he started walking towards the hallway, still carrying Harry's bag. He opened the first door on the right and Harry was met with a surprisingly big bedroom, which was quite empty compared to the rest of the house, but still comfortable. Centred in the middle of the room was a big double bed with blue bedding, next to the bed was a nightstand, which had a lamp on top of it. Inside the room was also a desk and chair in the corner. Harry smiled, it was a very nice room, he turned to Louis who was standing nervously in the doorway anticipating Harry's opinion of the room.   

"It's great, thanks Lou, so is the rest of your house actually. Very homely."  

Louis smiled back at Harry, before he quickly ran from the room over into his room, which was opposite the room that Harry was staying in. Harry looked quizzically as Louis came back with his hands behind his back. Harry raised an eyebrow in question to Louis. 

"When I knew you were staying, I went out and bought you something so that you don't get lonely in this room all on your own." From behind his back he produced a teddy bear, which was a stereotypical bear if he were honest but he saw that the bear was wearing an apron, with a chef's hat on top of it's head. Harry let out a little laugh.   

"It's brilliant, Lou."  

Louis handed Harry the bear, "I actually got it from that Build a Bear place, named it and everything. I've got the birth certificate in my room, wait there a minute." He dashed out of the room again, and came back with a slip of paper, which he handed to Harry. "His name is actually McCurlington, very original I think, and no, before you ask, you cannot change his name, that would just confuse him. I thought it was quite fitting actually as if his hair was longer he'd probably have curls, you can almost see little curls in his hair." Louis said while smiling at the bear, he turned his eyes back to Harry, he saw that Harry was smiling widely at him, he was surprised when he was pulled into a hug from Harry. He smiled against Harry's shoulder before he pulled away.  

"Thanks Lou, I really appreciate this."  

"It's no problem, Harold. Wouldn't want you to get lonely later. Just to let you know, I thought we could eat before we go to the concert. Concert doors open at six and it is half past three now, so if you can be ready by four that would be great." He said as he ruffled Harry's curls, Harry agreed before Louis turned away back into his room so that he could get ready.   

Harry quickly got ready, he got the outfit his sister helped him chose out of his bag, and placed it neatly on the bed, the last thing he would do was get dressed. He went in the bathroom and took a quick shower, he towel dried his hair a bit and decided he'd leave the rest to dry on it's own as it didn't take very long. While waiting for his hair to dry he got his bag ready, he felt a bit odd taking a bag as usually females took bags on dates, but he needed somewhere to put his camera, and his Free Skies CD, which he was hoping could be autographed. He also got out the Oreo cupcakes that he'd put in a Tupperware container. He decided to leave them home for when they got back later. He also got out his Mayday Parade CD which contained the song Terrible Things, he would let Louis listen to it later, Harry wasn't sure whether or not he'd listened to it yet because Louis said he was busy with Liam, Zayn and Niall the night after they'd met, then maybe he'd forgotten about it. He put the CD on the side next to the Oreo cupcakes, and decided to get dressed now. Once he was dressed he checked in his bag whether or not he had everything he needed. With a glance back at the room he went out into the living room where he saw Louis sitting at the table on his phone. Louis looked up and smiled when he heard Harry coming.  

"Ready to go?" Louis said to Harry who nodded. "You look great, by the way Harold." Harry looked down and glanced at his clothes he was wearing his favourite jeans along with one of what he thought to be his nicest tops, it was a shirt with an interesting pattern on it. His sister had bought it for him because apparently those types of tops were, 'all in fashion'.   

"You too, Lou." Harry smiled at Louis, who was wearing jeans also, although they were a lighter shade than Harry's, he was also wearing a shirt, but it was a checked print, which really made his eyes stand out. His hair was styled in a quiff, but again quite messily. Louis smiled at Harry and thanked him, they then left the flat when they got outside Harry saw that there was a car already waiting for them. Getting in the car Harry saw a middle aged man sitting in the drivers seat, Louis turned towards the driver and smiled.  

"James, this is Harry. Harry meet James." He said gesturing between them.  

Harry smiled, "So you're the babysitter."  

James laughed, "And you're the lad Mr. Famous over there couldn't shut up about for the past week." James said while winking at Harry, Harry smiled back and let out a little laugh.   

Louis quickly coughed, "Yeah, uh, thanks James. Appreciate it. You know where to go, and before you ask Harry, no you cannot know where we are going, it is a surprise." Louis said while grinning like a child. Harry was just happy to see Louis happy, so he settled back into his seat without a word. At some point in the journey Harry and Louis' hands found each other on the middle seat as they were seated on different sides of the car, Harry smiled widely, and tried to hide it by looking out of the window. He suddenly felt like he was six again, discovering his first crush, or what he at the time thought was a crush. He looked over at Louis and saw that he was responding in the same way, but obviously Louis was more tactical as he was hiding his smile with his hand while also looking out of the window. Harry pulled Louis' hand so that it was settled on his lap, he looked at Louis, who was already looking at him and they smiled at each other. 

They sat in a comfortable silence for the rest of the journey, while Harry was rubbing circles on the back of Louis' hand, this gesture was enough to send shivers down Louis' spine.   

When they arrived at the restaurant which Harry didn't recognise the name of, James told them that he would pick them up from the arena later, which was around a seven-minute walk from the restaurant. Harry and Louis went inside the restaurant and were directed to a table in the back.  "This way, there is less of a chance I'd be noticed by someone. Not that I don't want to see my fans, it's just I want to spend time with you, and you alone." Louis said as they sat down. Harry smiled, his nervousness from this morning suddenly leaving his body, he felt completely at ease with Louis. Once they had ordered drinks and food, Harry decided to get to know Louis a bit more.   

"Okay, I've got an idea, how about we play the question game." At Louis confused look he decided to explain himself further. "The question game is where I ask you a question, you answer but following your answer you have to ask me a question. So really it's never one sided." Louis nodded at this, then gestured for Harry to go first.   

"Okay, um, what's your favourite thing about acting?"  

"Good question, I guess it's how you become a completely different person you know? Like one minute I'm Louis Tomlinson, then the next I'm this different character. I guess it's my form of escapism it gives me a chance to be someone else. To get away from the madness that is my life. It's fun being all these different people, I just feel like in this job, I'm not limited and I love that. Not that I don't like being Louis Tomlinson, it just gets tiring you know and I love being someone else. Sometimes I even make up little things about that character that the writers haven't thought about, like in my mind I'll decide how many sugars they like in their tea or whether they are a dog or cat person. It's like having this plain canvas that I can project myself on to, it gives me the chance to experience how different things are for other people, even if the people themselves and their situations aren't real, it feels real to me. I think personally it makes me a better person, even though what these tragedies the characters experience aren't real, it makes you think what if, what if that was me, it's great and I grow everyday as a person because of it. I learn new things about people and it all helps me be a better person." The whole time Louis was saying this Harry was looking at him in amazement, Louis was truly passionate about his job, he was one of those privileged people in life who had a job that they actually loved. Louis smiled at Harry while contemplating what to ask him. "Okay got my question, I refuse to accept that you dislike all movies, so what is your favourite film?"  

Harry smiled at him, "I never did say I disliked all films, I just said I don't really keep up with the new films you know, unless they're part of a series or something. My favourite film, uh, I love the Harry Potter series, read the books as well. Bloody brilliant, I'm telling you. Acting may be your form of escapism but I think fantasy is mine, especially Harry Potter I am just forever in awe of J.K Rowling. How she created that world where all ends meet, I just don't think people appreciate how brilliant that is. She created an entirely new world inside of her head, she talks about it's past, present and future like someone would talk about our world you know. It's just amazing. I mean like most authors are brilliant, but you know she's just on another level. I love the messages she sends out in the books, she has never underestimated the power of love like I think everyone else in the world does. No one completely understands how powerful love is, not even her. I think that love is the one of the most complicated and simplest things in the entire world and it is often overlooked because we're so accustomed to it. I think she highlights that very well in the book, especially with everything Harry had to go through." Once Harry had finished he saw Louis looking at him with a huge smile on his face, Harry then realised that once again he'd babbled on about something he liked, but he didn't worry as he remembered Louis saying he liked it when he got carried away. "Okay, your question, what was your favourite subject in school?"  

"Easy question Green eyes, Drama. Loved it. For obvious reasons." Louis smiled at Harry, "Would it be okay if I just asked you the same question? Because I'd really like to know your answer."   

Harry nodded, "My favourite subject, I never really had a favourite that stuck out for me to be honest, I just kind of liked subjects, I liked English. I guess that's because I like reading, I actually went on to study English at A Level, it was really fun. I'm in University now though studying Law, just finished my first year, still got two more to go though. Okay um, how did you get into acting?"   

"I used to do plays when I was in school, and this is going to sound really silly, but a scout kind of thing's brother was there, and he told him about me. The scout guy then came to my next performance, and well he got me my first minor acting role and it just escalated from there really. I am forever thankful for both him and his brother to be honest." Louis stopped when he saw that their food was coming, once their food was placed in front of them, he took a bite out of his while deciding what question to ask Harry. "This is going to sound childish, but what's your favourite colour?"  

Harry chuckled, he quickly swallowed the food he had in his mouth, "I like the colour blue, stereotypical, I know. What is your least favourite thing about living in London?"  

Louis thought for a moment, "I dislike how people walk fast. Sounds petty, but I just think that if people slowed down for a moment then they would appreciate life more. The beauty of the world around us, people walk too fast to understand and properly look how beautiful everything is around us. How complex life actually is. Like a tree, it may not be physically beautiful enough for some people to actually stop and look at, but it's truly beautiful with how long it stays standing. I mean they could be used as a metaphor, they stand there outside through everything but at the end of it, their still standing, could be compared to some people with how strong they are. People miss things when they walk to fast, they miss nature, they may even miss a smile from an individual passing them. I just think that now people are too preoccupied with their own lives to appreciate the beauty around them, and I dislike that." Harry once again looked at Louis with amazement, Louis must have caught this looked as he smiled, "I know, I'm more than just a pretty face. Okay if you could be any animal, what would you be?"  

The rest of the meal continued pretty much the same, with the questions continually being asked between the two. Once they had finished Louis insisted on paying for Harry's meal, laughing at Harry when he said that he wasn't a girl and could pay for himself. Louis said that really he was the one who asked him on a date so technically he should as a gentleman be paying. Harry just pouted.   

Once they'd thanked the staff for the good service, they headed out of the restaurant towards the venue for the concert. While walking Harry was steadily getting more and more excited for the upcoming concert and meeting of the band.   

The concert was brilliant, Harry couldn't describe it in any other way. Their seats were brilliant, they were just a few rows from the front towards the left side of the stage. Harry hugged Louis as soon as he got there, as thanks for bringing him here. Thankfully, when the lights went down no one had recognised Louis at all. Though at one point the group next to the duo recognised him and asked for an autograph at the end of the show, but Louis asked them not to tell anyone else that he was here. They agreed of course, though in return of Louis following them on Twitter. Harry loved every second of the concert, most importantly he loved when one of the slower songs came on and Louis reached for his hand, he looked down at Louis to see him smiling widely at him. Harry then nudged Louis closer to him and put his arm around Louis’ waist while swaying to the music. Thankfully, the people beside them were too preoccupied with the concert to even think about what Louis and Harry were doing.   

All too soon, in Harry's opinion, the concert was over and everyone was leaving. Harry and Louis were to wait back until most of the people had gone, then they'd go through a door to meet the boys. While waiting for everyone to leave Harry once again hugged Louis and whispered thanks in his ear, to which Louis smiled. Louis looked around too see that mostly the arena was empty, he then directed Harry towards a door, Harry and Louis had to walk past one of the security guards who took one look at Louis, then lead them to the dressing room. Harry begun to get nervous as they were walking, what if this meeting didn't meet his expectations, he'd been dreaming of it for so long?  

Approaching the door, Harry had so many thoughts running through his head. What if they didn't like him? They were Louis' best friends, if they didn't like him he didn't want to make Louis chose between him and them.   

"Calm down, love, they're going to love you," Harry turned to look at Louis, surprised that he had almost read his mind. "Come on Harry, don't seem so shocked, it's not difficult to guess what you're thinking." Louis said while smiling at Harry. Harry nodded, then took a breath, Louis opened the door. Louis was then attacked by three different people.  

"Guys get off me seriously, stop being rude to Harold." Louis said while three pairs of arms trapped him. The three of them let go of Louis at the mention of Harry's name.  

"Oh yes, cute boy from the bakery. You're right though Lou, he is cute. Very fitting nickname."  

"Yes and he is my cute boy from the bakery, get your own Niall." Louis said while he walked over to Harry.   

"No need to get possessive, Lou. Hi Harry, I'm Niall, but from what I've heard from Lou-Bear, you already know that."  

"Yeah, I, uh, I am, um, kind of a fan." Harry said nervously  

"Don't get nervous now Harold, 'kind of a fan' yeah right, what was it you told me Harry, oh yes, you 'sleep, eat and breathe their music', ring any bells?" Louis said while nudging Harry smirking.  

"Lou, stop being so mean," Liam said while walking over to Harry. "Hi Harry, I'm Liam. To be honest, I am a big fan of you, I don't think I've ever seen our Lou talk about someone so much within the space of a week. Wouldn't shut up, would he lads?" There was a murmur of agreement.  

"Yeah, same to be honest Harry, I don't think I've ever seen him so confused either, when he told us you knew who we were but didn't know who he was. Brilliant. He is never going to live that one down, thanks for that one Harry, I'm Zayn by the way." Harry smiled at all of them.  

"Hi, would you um, would you sign this CD for me please?" Harry asked hesitantly while getting the CD out of his bag, asking Louis to hold the jacket he'd put in his bag as it was getting in the way of his search.  

"Not a problem Curly, is it okay if I call you that? Or is that reserved for Louis over here? Personally, I prefer Curly to Harold, but each to their own." Niall said as he took the CD from Harry once he'd gotten it out of his bag.   

"So Harry, we've heard Louis side of the story of your meeting, but seriously, what did you think of our Lou when you met him? He's annoying isn't he?" Zayn asked as he waited for Niall to finish signing the CD so he could.  

"I thought he was brilliant, to be honest with you. A bit weird at first hiding in a bakery, of course. I mean no offence to you Lou." Harry said quickly while looking over to Lou to see if he had offended him in any way.   

"None taken at all Harold."   

"Yeah, I just think that he was really friendly, and he helped me with my minor panic attack, I don't know if he told you. It was really weird actually, I, uh, usually don't like people touching me when I have one, but when he hugged me it was so comforting it stopped it escalating any further. I am just really happy that I have met him." Harry said while smiling over at Louis who smiled back at him, they just stared at each other for a little while longer.  

Harry looked back towards the band to see that they were all smiling looking between the two of them, Harry quickly looked down and blushed.   

"Here you go, mate." Harry looked up to see Niall with his CD again, handing it back to him, he put it back in his bag, but kept his jacket out in case he would need it when they went back outside.   

After that the five of them talked about a lot of things, they all seemed to get along brilliantly together, Harry felt safe here. He felt like he could be so open with the boys and they wouldn't judge him at all. Before he knew it, it was time for them all to go home. However, Harry was told that he wasn't allowed to leave without the three boys numbers in his phone, Harry could barely contain his excitement as they told him that he should come back to London at some point to hang out with all of them. Harry and Louis bid their goodbyes before leaving. When they got outside they saw that James wasn't there yet, so they waited outside for James to get there. Harry saw that Louis was shivering so he offered him his jacket, which Louis happily accepted even though it was too big for him. Harry laughed at him, he looked a bit silly with a jacket so big, yet at the same time he looked adorable. Louis was just about to comment back when James pulled up, they both got in the car, however this time they decided to sit next to each other, and sat as close as possible.   

Once they got back to the flat, Louis offered Harry a cup of tea, Harry agreed he then went into his room and got the Mayday Parade CD and the cupcakes, when Louis saw what he was holding as he came back into the lounge he grinned widely.  

"I thought I should bring these as a thank you Lou, and the CD it has that song that I was talking about on it, you can borrow it if you want."  

Louis hugged Harry, "Thanks Harold. How many cupcakes are in there?"  

Harry opened the lid to the container, "Um, a whole batch, so twelve."  

Louis smiled even wider, "Fantastic, absolutely fantastic. That means the boys can have one when they come over tomorrow. Do you have to be home early or can you stay a bit longer?"  

"I, uh, I'll have to ring my mum later. I have the next week off work, it shouldn't be a problem to stay but it's just what she thinks."  

"Scratch that actually Harold, ring your mum and ask her if you can stay the week, pretty please?" Louis suggested while giving him the best puppy dog eyes he could muster.   

"I, uh, only if you're sure Lou. I don't want to over stay my welcome. I don't really have enough clothes for the entire week."  

"Mine would probably be too small, so you could borrow some of the boys clothes, I have a washing machine anyway, please, it would really make my week about a hundred times better."  

Harry gave in, "Fine, I will ring my mum in the morning, it's too late now."   Louis just grinned widely at Harry, he motioned over to the sofa for them both to sit down. Harry left the CD and the cupcakes on the kitchen counter and went to sit down. Louis brought over their tea and a cupcake for each of them. Once Louis had placed the tea and cupcakes on the coffee table, he sat back on the sofa and turned so his body was facing Harry.  

"Do you actually want to stay all week? You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't want you to feel pressured into staying." Louis asked nervously while looking at him hands.  

Harry took Louis' hands in his, "Lou, I would absolutely love to stay here for the week." At this Louis looked up, his eyes shining with happiness. "I had the best time tonight and I would love another week like tonight. I was just worried I was overstaying my welcome, but so long as it's okay with you. I'd love to stay."  Louis smiled and moved closer to Harry so that their knees were touching. They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other's company while drinking their tea and eating their cupcakes. Once they had finished, Louis got up and took the mugs and plates to the sink. On his way back to the sofa, he picked up the Mayday Parade CD from the counter, he put it in the CD in the player, then sat back on the sofa with Harry.   

"It's track number 6, the last one on the CD." Harry murmured, while he relaxed more into the sofa, closing his eyes. Louis took the remote and put track number 6 on. When he heard the opening music to the song, he boldly moved even closer to Harry and rested his head against Harry's shoulder. With his eyes still closed Harry moved his arm so that it went around Louis' shoulder and pulled Louis closer to him. Louis decided to get even more comfortable and moved his head from Harry's shoulder down a bit so it was resting on his chest. They sat in silence while listening to the song, Louis tracing his hands in circles on Harry's chest. Louis carefully listened to the lyrics of the song and he could see where Harry was coming from, this song was beautifully heart breaking. Louis thought it was one of those songs, which you could listen to a million times over and not get bored. The song was so simple, for the majority of the song only a piano and singer could be heard. Louis liked songs like this one, songs, which told a story, songs, which held meaning. Though, at the same time Louis felt like he was listening to something extremely private, he felt like someone was pouring their deepest secrets to him, someone was opening their heart. 'Don't fall in love there's just too much to lose', Louis understood, this story was one of tragedy, a story that will inevitably repeat over and over in other's lives. This was the story of someone not wanting the same thing to happen to anyone else, because the heartbreak was just so unbearable. Louis thought this was the story of someone discovering that love isn't a fairy tale with a happily ever after ending. Louis hoped that he'd never have to experience a heartbreak like the one being explained.   

Once the song was over, Louis took the remote and pressed pause, so once again they were sitting in silence. Louis moved even closer to Harry, if that was even possible, Harry just pulled Louis even tighter to him. Louis smiled against Harry's chest.  "That was brilliant Harold. Seriously."  

Harry still had his eyes closed, "I know Lou. Since listening to it for the first time, it's always been a favourite of mine."

  "Can we listen to it again, please?" Louis looked up at Harry to see him nodding with a smile on his face. Louis then played the song again.   

Once they'd listened to it again for the second time. Louis spoke, "I was in a film once with almost the same situation." Once he said this Harry looked down at him, Louis looked back up at him and smiled. "I haven't been in many films, but this one is one of my favourites, I wasn't the main character or anything. It was about this couple, who fell in love. Obviously. I was the girl’s brother, they married and had their entire lives ahead of them, they had a little boy, then when the boy was three the girl, my sister in the film was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Even though it was all make believe, it seemed so real to me. The storyline was to get people to see how much cancer affects people you know, because I just don't think people realise. The girl then died about a year after she found out, I think that even though everyone knew it was a film, everyone on the set was moved by it. The actress who played her was brilliant, she always knew how to act when in certain situations without being told. She told us all after she filmed that when she was a teenager she lost an aunty to cancer, broke down telling us, she said she looked to her aunt a lot when wondering how a character with cancer would act. She said her aunt was the life of the party and didn't change after she found out, said she didn't want to 'waste her last months dwelling on the fact she was going to die'. The movie was basically about her last year of life, and how she wanted to do everything she could. See everything before she left. She lived each day like her last, and it just made me realise that more people should do that, you never know what's going to happen. Critics loved the movie too, the actress got so many awards and was praised a lot on her performance, they claimed it was a real tearjerker."  

"I think I'd like to see that film." Harry said while smiling down at Louis.  

"Might make you cry."   

"I can deal with a few tears falling every once in a while, it's good for you really, so nothing gets built up." Louis looked up in wonder at Harry.  

"You're brilliant, you know that right?"  

Harry blushed, "So you keep telling me. However, I think that you maybe a little bit more brilliant than I am. I never realised until today but you're fantastic Lou, when we were in the restaurant talking, you're a very interesting person." Louis looked back down and laid his head on Harry's chest once more.  

Louis hugged Harry tighter to him, while smiling against his chest, "Thanks Harold." Louis shut his eyes, and together they lay in silence, until Louis realised he didn't want to go to bed without Harry, "Hey, how about we put on a film? I'll go and grab some blankets as well, we can camp out in my lounge. I'll even go and get you McCurlington." Louis said before looking up at Harry who was smiling widely at him and nodding his head. Louis extracted himself from Harry and went into his bedroom to get his duvet from his bed, he took the duvet out into the lounge and threw it on Harry. He laughed to himself as he ran back into his room to get the pillows and then he ran into Harry's room to get McCurlington, which he again threw on Harry. Harry got up and started heading toward Louis, Louis quickly ran away from him into the hall, Louis thought it was all going well until he felt Harry grab the back of his top and pull him towards his chest.  

"Think you can get away with throwing things at me that easily, Lou?" Louis turned in Harry's arms and put the best 'feel sorry for me' face he could muster on.  

"But Harold." He said dragging out Harry's name. "It was only a joke, you know, something to make you laugh."  

Harry smirked, "Want to laugh do you, Lou?" Louis eyes went wide as he realised what Harry meant, he quickly tried to get out of Harry's grip, but his attempts were futile. Harry pushed Louis on the floor and sat on him so that he couldn't move, he then started tickling him relentlessly, laughing while he was.  

"Harry, ah, please stop, please, sorry sorry sorry sorry, stop." Louis attempted to get out while he was being tickled. Harry stopped for a moment but he didn't move.  

"What was that, Lou? Did you say you were sorry?" Louis looked at him and started nodding his head quickly. "Good." Harry then got up to move, when he started to walk away from Louis and back into the lounge, he felt Louis jump on his back and wrap his legs around his waist.   

Louis pointed to the lounge, "To the lounge my trusted steed." Harry rolled his eyes, then grabbed Louis' legs and wrapped them tighter around his waist. He walked off towards the lounge, when he got there and saw the sofa, he smirked to himself. He walked over to the sofa, but faced away from it. He then removed Louis' legs from his waist and dropped him onto the sofa. "Ow Harold." Harry just smiled.   

They chose a film, 'Love Actually', to be specific. They then settled back into the sofa, surrounded by pillows, they lay down on the sofa so that Harry lying against the back of the sofa with Louis settled in front of him. Harry moved his arm so that it wrapped around Louis waist and pulled him as close to him as possible, adjusting the duvet so it was draped over the two of them. Louis just smiled to himself, he adjusted himself so he was closer to Harry and waited for the film to begin. Louis placed McCurlington in front of him so that he was holding McCurlington tightly to his chest. Around half way through the film Louis felt Harry move his head so that he was even more comfortable almost resting his head so that it was by Louis' neck. Louis heard Harry's breathing even out and concluded that he'd fallen asleep. Louis continued to watch the film, though at the point where the young boy was running through the airport terminal he felt his eyelids getting heavier and decided to sleep himself. He turned the TV off and grabbed Harry's hand that was placed on his waist and entwined their fingers. He then drifted off into a peaceful sleep with a smile on his face.  

***  
When Louis awoke, he found that he was lying on the sofa alone accept for McCurlington, he suddenly felt cold and frowned. He looked around but couldn't see Harry in the lounge anywhere. He lay back down and shut his eyes again, knowing he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, but also knowing he was too tired to move just yet. He didn't know how long he'd been lying there with his eyes shut when he heard whistling coming from his kitchen. He smiled to himself, got up and walked towards the kitchen. He looked in and saw Harry with his back facing him, and his front facing towards the cooker. Louis walked up to Harry and wrapped his arms around him from behind and rested his head against Harry's shoulder.   

"Morning, sleepy head." Louis smiled when he heard Harry's voice.  

"Good morning." Louis stood on his tiptoes and looked over Harry's shoulder to see he was cooking eggs, he then looked over to the toaster to see bread out by it, ready to go into the toaster. "Eggs on toast?"   

"Yeah, I wasn't sure what you liked and when I looked through your cupboards, all I could find for breakfast was eggs and bread. I hope you don't mind my looking through your stuff."  

"Of course I don't mind Harold. So long as this eggs on toast is nice." Harry just smiled. Once their breakfast was ready they sat at the little table Louis had in the corner of his kitchen, they both sat down, each with a plate of eggs on toast.  

"You know, we slept in out clothes last night." Harry observed once they'd finished eating.  

"Really Harold? I'd have never have guessed, thanks for telling me. Who knows where I'd be without you guiding me." Louis replied sarcastically. Harry laughed at Louis unimpressed facial expression, Louis then smiled at him.  

"So what're we doing today, Lou?"  

"Well, firstly I need to clean the lounge of pillows and the duvet, then we can just relax until the boys come over to watch movies later."

Harry just smiled while Louis gathered their plates from the table, Harry got up while Louis was washing the dishes and headed into the lounge where he folded the duvet and grabbed the pillows, and tidied the lounge. He grabbed McCurlington and took him to the guest room where all of his stuff was, and placed the teddy onto the bed. Harry then went back into the kitchen to see that Louis was just finishing putting away their plates.

"I folded the blanket and tidied the lounge, I left the duvet and pillows in the lounge, in the corner though, I didn't want to go into your room without permission."

Louis turned so that he was facing Harry, a smile evident on his face, "Thanks, Curly. You didn't have to, I would have done it." Harry brushed it off, then went into the lounge with Louis and helped him carry the things he'd left into Louis' room. Harry grabbed the pillows while Louis grabbed the duvet. 

Once they'd made Louis' bed, Harry had a quick look around the room and saw that Louis' room was a lot like his lounge, with oddly placed items scattered everywhere, yet it didn't look messy. Before they went back into the lounge Louis went with Harry into the guest room to retrieve Harry's phone so that he could ring his mum, the entire time Harry was talking to his mum, Louis was watching him like a hawk, with a hopeful expression on his face. Louis almost jumped with joy when the call ended and Harry said his mum was more than happy for him to stay with Louis, so long as he gave her updates regularly, and made him promise that he was safe, Louis then left Harry to get dressed while he went into his own room and got dressed. 

They then walked back into the lounge where Louis threw himself onto the sofa dragging Harry with him, they landed quite awkwardly with Harry lying on top of Louis, chest to chest. Louis adjusted Harry so that he was settled more comfortably on him, Harry lay with his head on Louis' chest and his legs dangling over the arm of the sofa, while Louis' legs were bent at the knees, with Harry's waist laying in between. Louis began stroking his fingers through Harry's curls, Harry sighed and closed his eyes. Louis then moved his legs so they were lying over the arm of the sofa just like Harry's, though he weren't nearly as long as Harry's were. Harry moved to place his hand next to his head, which was resting over Louis' heart. 

"I can hear your heartbeat," Harry spoke softly with a content smile on his face, Louis just sighed happily in response. "It was quite fast at first, but now it's normal."

"Well I am very calm right now, I am also really tired, even though I had a great night sleep last night, best one I've had in a while."

"Me too, on both counts." Harry responded almost whispering now. Louis just continued to run his fingers through Harry's hair while both boys had their eyes closed, soon though, Harry found himself falling asleep, he found his eye lids getting heavier. He looked up at Louis to see him asleep, Harry predicted he'd fallen asleep around seven minutes ago when he stopped running his hand through Harry's hair. Harry decided that he would also drift off to sleep.

Louis woke first, though not of his own accord. People talking quite loudly right by where him and Harry were sleeping rudely interrupted his sleep. He looked up to see his three best friends, looking at him and Harry with smiles on their faces and their phones out, not so subtly taking pictures of the two. Louis glared at them before trying to turn his head away and burying it in the back of the sofa. 

"Come on Lou-Bear. As sickeningly cute as you both look, I didn't come over to watch you guys sleep." Niall whispered to Louis, as if to not wake Harry. Louis just rolled his eyes at the Irish boy.

"I have to agree with Niall on this one, mate, you do look comfortable, but if you carry on sleeping now, you won't sleep tonight." Liam informed Louis speaking louder than Niall had, this noise seemed to have disrupted Harry, who looked like he was going to wake but then just faced his head away from the boys as he tried to burrow his head further into Louis chest. Louis looked down and smiled fondly at Harry, then turned to nod at the boys, he went to move to get up ever so subtly without disturbing Harry, but his efforts seemed to have failed when he felt the hand that had been placed by Harry's head while sleeping, grab onto his shirt tighter, with Harry almost shaking his head against Louis' chest. 

"Well isn't he just adorable, Lou," Louis shot Niall a warning look, Niall lifted his hands in defence. Louis looked at Harry to see him slowly waking up with a confused look on his face, he moved his head so that his chin rested on Louis' chest. 

He rubbed his eyes with the hand that wasn't grasping Louis' top. "Hi."

Louis smiled, and brushed down his curls that were sticking up from where he had slept on them, "Hi." Harry then turned to look at the three boys that were standing watching them and quickly tried to compose himself, he sat up so he wasn't lying on Louis' chest anymore. 

"Um, hey guys." Harry offered weakly, turning to Louis to see him laughing. 

Louis sat up also and patted Harry's knee, "Don't worry Harold, it's not the worst they've caught me doing." Harry decided not to question Louis about that. 

The five boys soon settled on the sofa to watch a film that they'd all seen before, yet they all loved. Harry and Louis sat on the smaller sofa with Louis lying with his head cuddled into Harry's shoulder and Harry's arm around Louis. The other three boys just sat on the larger sofa, often looking over to Harry and Louis to see them exchange silly little gestures which they obviously thought they were doing subtly, but they were so obviously mistaken. Even if it was just a quick smile exchanged between the two, or Harry rubbing circular motions on Louis hip where his top had ridden up. At one point Zayn looked over to see they were looking at each other before Louis leaned up to whisper something in Harry's ear, which Harry smiled at and Louis took his hand, grabbed Harry's hand that was still rubbing circular motions on Louis' hip and joined their hands bringing Harry's hand further around his waist so that it was laying on Louis' chest. Zayn then saw Louis settle more comfortable into Harry, now laying his head almost on Harry's chest resting his other hand protectively over Harry's heart. Zayn quickly looked away, and thought he was interrupting a very private moment between the two. 

Once the film had finished the boys decided they'd watch another, while Harry, Niall and Liam were deciding what to watch, Zayn and Louis went into the kitchen to get some food for everyone.

"You really like him don't you, Lou?" Louis froze in his place while he was searching through the fridge for the dips that he knew were in there, though he wasn't sure where. Louis turned back to Zayn, shutting the fridge and stopping looking for the dips. 

"It sounds stupid because I've not known him two weeks. I, I don't know how to explain it. He just feels so right, everything about him, Jesus Zayn, he is so real. He's not like the other people who only want to know me because of my name, I know it's different because he doesn't know who I am, but he just, he wants to know me. The real me, God, he is so amazing, just talking to him is making me a better person and I know it is. He is just so honest, with everything that he says, I can't explain it, you'll see when you talk to him more he is so deep and open with everything he says. He is so smart, and he is just bloody brilliant. Everything with him is so real, nothing is forced or anything, we lie together on the sofa or hold hands and I just want to sing I am so happy. Good God Zayn, this stuff isn't supposed to happen in real life, you're not supposed to meet someone and like them as much as I like Harry within the space of what, eight days. It's not supposed to feel this easy."

Zayn approached Louis and smiled at him, "I have never seen you like this, Lou, don't question what you're feeling though, if he makes you feel like singing, sing as loud as you can. If he makes you feel this happy, it matters not how long you've know him, but just how happy he makes you. By what I can tell he makes you very happy. I've been watching you both tonight and you're so sickeningly adorable, just the slightest of touches has you both smiling like you've won the lottery or something. I approve of this one, Lou. Just be careful, I know you've been hurt before and I know it nearly destroyed you, but Harry, I don't know how you did it, but you hit the jackpot with this one. He is just as interested in you and you are in him, I can tell, he won't hurt you purposely, Lou, and please, promise me you won't hurt him, I can tell he is scared with getting into something like this. It's going to be hard for the both of you, you being who you are, he is going to get a lot of hate if and when you guys come out, but please, don't choose the easy option and leave him. The easy option is never nearly as fun as the hard option." 

Louis just smiled and pulled Zayn in for a hug, "Thanks, I promise I won't hurt him."

They pulled away from each other, Louis went back to the fridge and finally found the dips, once they found all the food they laid it out on the counter so that Louis and Zayn could inspect what they had. 

"When are you going to make it official then?" Zayn questioned Louis, Louis laughed then nudged Zayn's shoulder, 

"I don't want to scare him away, but hopefully by the end of the week." Zayn nodded approvingly, before grabbing some food and walking back into the lounge, leaving Louis to grab the rest. When he walked back into the lounge he saw Harry was waiting on the sofa for him to come back, he smiled widely at him. 

"What?" Harry asked, to which Louis just shook his head, looking over at Zayn and sharing a knowing glance. Harry just shrugged and went to grab some of the food.

***  
The rest of the week passed in relatively the same manner, with the boys coming over on different days to learn more about Harry or just to watch films. Louis and Harry became even closer, if that was possible. The two went everywhere together for the entire week, Louis even made Harry sleep in his bed, though it was more for his benefit, being near Harry when he was sleeping definitely made it easier for Louis to sleep. All too soon the week was over and it was once again Saturday night, the night before Harry was going to get on a train and go back home, where he would only see Louis occasionally. Saturday nights were usually nights Louis would spend with the boys, but he'd asked them if they could not come over this Saturday so that he could spend one last night with Harry on his own before he left. Zayn had given him a knowing look once he'd said this. Currently, Harry and Louis were curled up on the sofa together while they were eating Chinese food that Louis had ordered, they were watching old episodes of 'Friends', and laughing together. 

Louis turned to look at Harry who had a piece of rice on his lip, he gently moved his finger to remove the piece of rice, his finger lingering longer than necessary. "Promise you'll visit me again?"

Harry looked at Louis with a fond expression on his face, "Of course I'll come and see you again, Lou. Is this my invitation?"

"Definitely." Louis spoke while smiling, all the time they had been speaking they had been moving ever so slightly towards each other, as if their bodies were attracted to one another. Louis found himself closer to Harry than he'd ever been before, closer than he had been once when he'd woken up before Harry and found himself staring at Harry's peaceful face. Closer than when Harry had accidentally stumbled over his own feet and dragged Louis down with him so that Louis was laying on top of him, their faces inches from each other. This closeness was something they'd never experienced and Louis was quite enjoying it, he could see Harry's eyes more clearly than he'd ever seen them before, they were bright green with little blue specks which he'd never noticed before, he could see the intense look Harry was giving him. He could see Harry's curls were messy from where he'd been lying against the sofa, he was close enough to see Harry's eyelashes.

"'m going to kiss you now, Lou." All Louis could do was nod, he didn't think he'd be able to form words if he tried. Then as Louis was staring into Harry's eyes, he saw Harry's eyelids close and felt a small pressure on his lips, he closed his own eyelids and responded back to the kiss. Their first kiss, it wasn't fireworks, it was something different to fireworks, it wasn't explosive, it was tender, it was gladness and confirmation that they were right together. It was waking up early in the morning, checking the time and realising you still had a few hours to sleep, it was rain on the day you just wanted to lay in bed, it was someone bringing you a cup of tea when you felt ill, it was watching your favourite film for the hundredth time, but still experiencing all the emotions you felt the first time you'd watched it, it was one of those simple pieces of literature that you'd love, but you could never put into words why you loved it so much. To Louis, this was one of those things he just knew he'd love, for it was one of the little things in life, something so simple as using your favourite mug or putting on your favourite jumper just after it's been washed, this kiss was something he'd want to live ten times over and he knew he'd never get bored.

When they pulled away, Harry opened his eyes to see Louis' eyes sparkling with happiness and Louis smiling widely at him. He suddenly felt something on his hands, he looked down to see Louis small hand finding it's way into Harry's bigger one. He looked back at Louis and smiled at him before kissing his cheek and settling back into the sofa, opening his arms as an invitation for Louis to cuddle up to him. Louis accepted happily, and laid his head on Harry's shoulder, he turned his head so that it was buried into Harry's neck. 

"That was nice, Lou." Louis smiled against his neck, and pressed a light kiss into Harry's neck. 

"I like you." Louis spoke softly, Harry noticed the simplicity of him words, yet they meant so much.

"I like you, too." Harry kissed the top of Louis' head when he had finished speaking. They both lay there in silence for a little while, occasionally squeezing the other tighter or finding another way in which they could be closer. Harry would often plant kisses on Louis' head which would result in Louis smiling against his neck. 

Louis then took a deep breath, "What are we?" He looked up to see Harry looking down at him smiling. 

"Right now, we are just two people enjoying each other's company." 

Louis rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean." Harry nodded, and kissed Louis' forehead before speaking.

"I do know what you mean, Lou. I like being around you, I like kissing you, I like holding your hand, I'm comforted when sleeping next to you, you make me feel safe. So really it's up to you, what do you want us to be?"

Louis smiled up at Harry, before lifting their hands which were intertwined and kissing the back of Harry's hand. "I like all of those things, too. I guess I wouldn't be opposed to being your boyfriend, though we don't have to say anything to the press until your ready." Harry smiled back at Louis for a while before nodding his head and placing a small kiss on Louis' lips. They both then settled back into the sofa, getting comfier with Louis lying with his head on Harry's chest and Harry's fingers running through his hair. Louis kissed Harry's t-shirt covered chest by where Harry's heart was, Louis then began rubbing his finger back and forth on Harry's chest. 

"I do want to let everyone know you're mine, one day. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day. For now I think I'd just like you to myself for a while." Louis said while changing from rubbing his fingers back and forth to drawing patterns on Harry's chest. 

"Whatever you want, Lou."

The next day was difficult for the both of them, Harry didn't want to leave, and Louis didn't want to see him leave. Though, they both knew they'd see each other very soon, they shared a lingering kiss in Louis' flat, knowing they wouldn't be able to at the train station. In the car journey on the way home, Harry's phone alerted him that he had a text message, he looked at his phone to see a text from Louis reading, 

**I miss you already.**

He looked over at Louis to see him looking out of the window, away from Harry, as Harry was sitting in the middle seat he just reached over and pulled Louis toward him, into an awkward hug, where Harry had his seatbelt digging into him and he couldn't really get Louis any closer as Louis' seatbelt was restricting him. They stayed as close as they could for the rest of the journey, with Louis' head buried in Harry's chest as if he were trying to block himself from the rest of the world. 

Once they'd said goodbye at the platform, and Harry had got on the train after promising Louis he'd see him as soon as possible, Harry got out his phone and text Louis.

**I miss you, too x**

He really did miss him, they hadn't even known each other that long, but constantly being in Louis' company for the week was something Harry had enjoyed very much. Harry sighed and looked out the window at the moving trees, he wondered how long it would be before he would see Louis again. He was returning to University soon, he lived on campus so really he would be restricted to when he would see Louis, there wasn't that long left of the summer and Harry was working a lot more. He didn't know it would be this difficult.

***  
Two weeks had passed before either of them knew it, and they still hadn't seen each other, Louis had the boys over that night, the boys could sense that Louis wasn't feeling happy about their situation. Right now Louis was sitting in the corner just staring at the blank screen of his phone, obviously waiting for Harry to text him. 

"Lou, don't worry." Louis looked up at Liam. "He is probably just busy tonight." Liam tried to comfort him, Louis just shook his head and looked away from Liam back to his phone screen.

"But he always texts me, he has never been too busy for me before." Liam went over to Louis and pulled him in for a hug, Louis just buried his face into Liam's shoulder. "I just really miss him, Li."

"We do as well, Lou. I'm sure he will text back soon." 

An hour later, Louis was just relaxing on the sofa with Zayn, Niall and Liam watching a film. When there was a knock on the door, Louis sent Liam to open the door because he couldn’t be bothered to move. He heard a lot of commotion in the hallway, so he got up and went to look.

Louis looked in the doorway and froze, Liam was standing in the doorway, embracing Harry who was holding a bag. "Harry?" Harry looked up at Louis and smiled widely, Harry dropped his bag quickly when he saw that Louis was walking towards him slowly, Louis then basically collapsed in his arms, Harry embraced him tightly, afraid to let go. "What are you doing here, love?" Louis spoke in Harry's ear. 

Harry pulled back, and motioned they go into the lounge, when they got there Harry embraced both Zayn and Niall. "Well Lou, I missed you, really as simple as that, I thought I’d surprise you by coming down for the weekend, I hope that's okay with you, if not I can stay in a hotel or something."

Louis just pulled Harry in for another hug, shaking his head against Harry's shoulder, "You're fine to stay here, I wouldn't have you anywhere else." Harry pulled Louis down onto the sofa, where they both cuddled into each other, getting as close as possible. 

For the rest of the weekend, the pair stayed very close to each other and were sickeningly adorable together, doing little things for one another. The boys thought there was no greater person for Louis to be with, and Louis shared their opinion. 

***  
The next two months passed in almost the same manner, though, with Harry starting back at University and Louis auditioning for other film roles, they found they saw each other even less. Despite that, they still spoke to each other almost every day, eager to find out what the other had been doing. They did occasionally see each other with Harry meeting some of Louis' friends, getting their approval, and Louis doing the same with Harry's friends. Louis had a small party one weekend and Harry was almost overwhelmed meeting all of the people as Louis' boyfriend, Louis decided it was safe to tell them as they all knew he was gay, and they wouldn't tell. Harry had met Stan, who he had really liked and got on with and Eleanor, who was one of the nicest people he'd ever met, excluding Louis, of course. One month after getting together, Louis had gone over Harry's house for a Sunday roast, where he had met Harry's family, they had all loved him which Harry had guessed they would. A week after that Louis decided it was only fair that Harry met his family. Louis was impressed at how well Harry handled it all, most people were usually cautious meeting his sisters, but Harry had been great, knowing exactly what to say to each of them. Louis' mum definitely approved. 

Although, this weekend was one of the rare weekends where Harry was staying over Louis', they were currently watching the TV while sitting on the sofa together. Harry's head was lying on Louis' lap with his legs dangling over the arm of the sofa, and Louis' finger running through his hair. There wasn't really much need for the TV to be on, as they were talking over the TV about anything and everything.

"I don't know why you don't just move in, your UNI isn't far away, I could even get James to drive you every day if you want." Louis mussed. 

"Are you asking me to move in with you?" Harry asked smiling up at Louis. 

Louis looked down at Harry, "Yeah, I guess I am. I've always wanted a roommate."

"I'd love to be your roommate." After that Harry moved off campus and into Louis' flat. Harry found that Louis was right, it was easier to be with Louis, even though getting to UNI was a little bit more difficult, it wasn't impossible. Harry got to see Louis every day, and there was nothing that he wanted more. Harry found himself falling for Louis more and more every day, due to little things he would do, like walk around the flat bare foot even when it was freezing, then come and bury his cold toes under Harry's warm legs to warm them up. As much as Harry told Louis to stop, he really didn't mean it. Harry often found himself thinking about their relationship, and as much as Harry tried not to dwell on it he couldn't help but wonder whether it was love. 

Harry had been in a few relationships before, he'd been let down before but he had never been so invested in someone as he was with Louis. Louis was different.

Love, Harry often thought about how complex such a simple four letter word was, the word Harry thought was often over used, and under appreciated, he'd always wanted to be the person who only said it when they were sure. Though, now he wasn't sure, because love isn't something you can be sure of, though it was something that you just kind of knew, Harry discovered that love was often spontaneous, never certain. He wasn't sure whether he liked it or not, but then that was a side effect of love, the idea that they could just leave at any point, but you trusting them to stay with you, because you love them. Love, Harry thought, was always wanting to see the other person happy even if it meant destroying your happiness. Harry felt this way about Louis, yet they had only known each other just over two months, Harry shouldn't be feeling so strongly after such a short time. When Harry imagined himself falling in love, his daydreams were quite stereotypical of the eleven year old he was, he'd imagine a beautiful girl with an innocent heart, walking into his life then him just knowing it was right. He'd imagine they'd grow old together, and it would be so easy, because that was what happened in life. You found someone and you loved them forever. Harry wasn't against the idea of his love to be male when he first discovered he may be into boys as well, but it would be harder for them to be together and be accepted. Though, now Harry looked back, it didn't matter whether anyone accepted them or not, because when you're in love, you're in love, and no one else matters. Harry thought then and now that love was something you just knew, you meet someone and you just know it's right, you just know that you're going to fall in love with someone. It didn't matter how long or little you had known each other. You just knew.

It was at this moment that Harry Styles realised he was in love with Louis Tomlinson. 

***  
Harry had still not told Louis about his discovery and it was now two months later. He decided to wait and be certain with what he was feeling, he wanted it to be the right time. He actually wanted it to be special when he told Louis. It was now the Christmas holidays, and Harry had time off UNI and Louis wasn’t working for the entire holiday, they could spend the entire two weeks together. Harry and Louis were holding Christmas at their flat, which Louis insisted they called it, Harry’s mum, sister and Robin were coming. Louis’ mum and sisters were also coming, along with Dan. Though it did seem like a lot of people to have in their flat, it was quite a big flat. More like a house really, but Louis insisted it was a flat. Right now it was Wednesday December 18th, exactly one week until Christmas and six days until Lou’s birthday. 

Louis and Harry were currently in the kitchen, having been to the shop to get the right ingredients to make Oreo cupcakes, Harry was trying and failing to teach Louis to make them. Louis was doing more harm than good probably, but Harry didn’t have the heart to tell him. Harry just fixed everything, he currently stood behind Louis, arms wrapped around his waist helping Louis with the electric whisk. Once the whisk had stopped and the batter was ready, Louis got a bit of batter and turned in Harry’s arms and rubbed the batter on Harry’s cheek, giggling as he did it.

Harry tried his best to glare at Louis and looked annoyed, but he was overcome with the need to laugh, so that’s what they did, they stood there laughing. Until Harry felt quite uncomfortable with cake batter on his face, “Please can you get rid of it, Lou?” Louis rolled his eyes, reached over to the sink where he grabbed the cloth, and wiped the batter of Harry’s face. When he was sure all of the batter was gone, Louis placed a kiss on Harry’s now clean cheek.

“There, perfect.” Louis said smiling.

Harry put his arms back around Louis’ waist and hummed, “Not as perfect as you though.” He then placed a kiss on Louis’ forehead. 

“You flatter me, Harold.” 

“It’s what I’m here for.”

Later, once the cupcakes had been in the oven, cooled and the icing had been placed on them, and of course, Louis and Harry had eaten one, they were sat together on the sofa watching a celebrity special of ‘The Great British Bake Off’, where Harry was complaining at the TV saying things like, “All you need to make is a flan, stop complaining.” Or, “Victoria sponge? That’s easy.” Louis just smiled up at Harry.

Around half way through the show Louis turned to Harry, “I want to come out.” Harry looked away from the TV, and looked intensely at Louis. 

“It’s up to you, Lou. I’ve said it all along, if you want to come out together or you just come out without me I don’t mind. Your publicist has been saying for a while you can come out when ever you want, she will arrange an interview as soon as possible.” 

Louis just pulled Harry as close to him as possible smiling, “With you, always with you.”

Harry kissed Louis’ hand that he was holding, “I’m not going on with you though. I think I’ll remain backstage.”

“That’s fine with me, Harry.” 

***  
The next morning Louis had rung his publicist, and she was only too happy to set up an interview for that Friday night, on the Jonathan Ross show, which Louis was glad with, he’d always liked Jonathan Ross. So that’s where Louis was right now, in the dressing room getting ready to go on stage, he had Harry sitting next to him rubbing comforting circles on the back of his hand to calm him down. He didn’t think he’d ever been this nervous in his entire life, he had been given the run down of what to talk about, first they would talk about any upcoming movies, the upcoming Christmas holiday, his life as an actor, which would eventually lead to talk about his love life, where he would introduce Harry to the world as his boyfriend. Sadly for Louis, Harry still didn’t want to go on the stage with him though, Harry was sure the paparazzi already had enough pictures of him and Louis together, though the caption had always been ‘Louis’ new friend’ and now it would state ‘Louis Tomlinson’s boyfriend’, it was weird for Harry to think about, going from quite unnoticed, just being Louis’ friend to the subject on everyone’s mind, a piece of news really. 

Someone came and told him it was time for him to go on stage, he gave Harry a quick kiss, where Harry reassured him everything would be fine and he’d be waiting for him as soon as he had finished. Harry would be sitting backstage watching everything on a TV screen. 

It wasn’t far into the interview before Louis started getting even more nervous, he could feel his legs shaking, though he tried to control it and brush it off as interview nerves. Louis had a bad feeling he would be making is announcement sooner rather than later. It was when Jonathan decided to ask him about his Christmas holidays.

“So, what does a big celebrity like you do on Christmas?” Jonathan asked Louis.

“Um, just the same as most people I guess, have a Christmas dinner with their family, everyone is coming to me this year, I’m quite excited.” Louis smiled thinking about it. 

“Will your flatmate be there, Harry I think his name is? You’ve been seen with him a lot recently.” Jonathan then pointed over to one of the monitors where different pictures of Louis and Harry were being displayed, obviously pictures taken by the paparazzi, Louis didn’t know half of these pictures existed. “Have you heard about your fans, they seem to like Harry, a few even like the two of you together, they call it Larry Stylinson, if I am correct.” Jonathan looked at Louis for confirmation. Louis suddenly became more relaxed at the mention of Harry.

“I’d always known my fans were creative, but I hadn’t known of this.” Louis said laughing, he knew the moment was coming. 

“Although, now that I do look at it, you do seem quite close.” 

Louis sighed, “Yeah, I guess you could say that. I actually came on the show to talk about him really.” Louis spoke nervously.

Jonathan smiled in encouragement, “Really? He is that special, you set up an interview just for him.”

“I think you’ll find he is very special.” Louis smiled just thinking about Harry, “I met him in a bakery in the summer, and he was just so wonderful I decided to keep him. We met up a week after we met, he then stayed with me for the week, I took him to the Free Skies concert, and he got to meet the boys, who he was a fan of. We just clicked from there I guess.” Louis looked at Jonathan to see him smiling widely at him. 

“I see he has made a big impact.” Jonathan observed.

“He has changed my life.”

“For the better, of course?” Louis just smiled despite himself.

“Most definitely.” Jonathan smiled at Louis, at this moment in time Louis wished that Harry would come on stage, so that they could show everyone just how close they were. Actions speak louder than words after all, but he respected Harry’s wishes to remain backstage, he knew how shy Harry was, and besides if he were in Harry’s position he’d probably be the same. 

“Well, I for one am happy for you.” Louis nodded his head in thanks, which earned him a smile from Jonathan. “So you and Harry are in a relationship, from what your implying?”

Louis let out a laugh, “Yes, I’m in one of the best relationships I’ve ever been in. I can honestly say I’ve never been happier.” Backstage Harry was smiling widely at the TV, just hearing Louis talking about him on national TV, saying that he had changed his life, Harry didn’t think he could love Louis anymore than he did now, going on national TV and telling the truth about them, Harry thought he was so brave, although, Harry thought he himself wasn’t because he wasn’t out there right now with Louis. He turned his attention back to the TV where Louis and Jonathan were talking about the past few months from when they first got together, Louis also wouldn’t shut up about how his Harry was a brilliant cook, and he was just excited for Christmas so he could eat Harry’s food. 

“Sounds like you’ve found a winner with this one.” Jonathan said seriously to Louis. “Tell me though, does he have any bad qualities, it seems like you’ve only highlighted his good ones, naturally of course, but I’m sure everyone would love some dirt on him.” Jonathan said, but Louis knew he didn’t mean it nastily, so he just smiled and leaned forward as if he was telling a secret. 

“He is brilliant, but he always wears the same shoes, not matter how smelly and broken they get, he is also terrible at telling jokes, don’t ever let him tell you one. Oh, and he always leaves the milk out after making tea or whatever, I don’t know how many bottles of milk have gone off from him doing that.” The audience laughed at this, and Jonathan let out a chuckle also.

“Well don’t you just have it horribly.” Jonathan said sarcastically, Louis just shrugged offhandedly, raising his eyebrows, “He sounds brilliant Louis, I personally can’t wait to meet him, I’m assuming he is backstage?”

Louis nodded, “Yeah, he came for ‘moral support’, but I know he just can’t stand to be away from me really. He didn’t want to come out on stage though, he is a bit shy.” Louis said fondly. 

“No matter how shy, I want to meet the one who has given you these heart eyes. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone smile as genuine as you on my show before.” Jonathan and the audience laughed, Louis soon joined in.

“I’m sure it won’t be a chore to meet you. I’ll let you in on a little secret as well.” Louis leaned closer to Jonathan as if he were going to whisper in his ear, but he knew his microphone on his shirt would prevent him from doing that, though he had no intention of keeping this a secret, Jonathan just leaned in as well. “I’m in love with the fool.” Louis said just loud enough for it to be heard by everyone, including Harry backstage who had jumped up from his seat, a gasp leaving his throat. He jumped up and down, smiling like an idiot, he was attracting the attention from a few crew members around him, but he didn’t care. Louis loved him. 

Louis Tomlinson loved Harry Styles.

He felt like he could scream, he went closer to the stage, though not on it, just to the edge where he could see Louis. He stood there waiting for the interview to end and Louis to come toward him. He didn’t have to wait long, the interview was over eight minutes and forty-three seconds later (Harry counted), the rest of the interview passed just as smoothly as the beginning, though with Louis being more relaxed now that he had admitted what he wanted to. They went on to talk about what Louis had planned for the new year, to which Louis just replied, “Spend time with my Harold, I may or may not have a movie coming out.” Which everyone cheered at.

Jonathan had just said goodbye to Louis, and let the programme go to an advert break, when Louis ran toward Harry who he had seen since he came to the side of the stage. Louis hugged Harry to his chest as tightly as he could, he could barely make out the muffled whisper Harry said in his ear, but he did get it in the end, and he couldn’t be happier. “I love you, too.” Is what Harry told him, and Louis pulled back from their hug and looked at Harry in disbelief, Harry just nodded his head. Louis then pulled Harry in for a kiss, Harry never wanted this moment to end. 

***  
After that, Louis made it a habit to tell Harry that he loved him every day, whether it was waking him up with the words, or saying them just before he drifted off to sleep, Louis told Harry every single day, and of course, Harry was only too happy to say the words back.

Louis’ birthday and Christmas passed quite smoothly for the pair, Harry’s Christmas dinner tasted brilliant, Louis wouldn’t shut up about how proud he was. Thankfully for both Harry and Louis, their families got along very well, their mothers especially, though at the beginning they bonded while exchanging childhood stories of Harry and Louis, which wasn’t very entertaining for Louis and Harry, at that point Louis just decided it was time for presents.

Harry had some difficulty finding Louis a Christmas and a birthday present, he had no idea what to get Louis. He dragged his mum around so many shops, but after deciding she wasn’t any help, he called the boys and they were only too happy to help him. 

For Louis’ birthday Harry made him a scrapbook, with some pictures that were obviously taken by the paparazzi, pictures the boys had slyly taken including the one of Harry and Louis sleeping the boys had taken the first week Harry had stayed. Next to each picture Harry had written a reason ‘why he loved his Lou’, Louis was so overwhelmed reading it, Harry told him that he would keep adding the reasons as they came to him and as more pictures were added. Inside the scrapbook Harry also placed his train ticket that he has saved from the first time he visited Louis, the Free Skies concert ticket, and the napkin with Louis’ number on that Louis had written him. Also in there were all the little notes that they’d sent each other over the last four months, sappy stupid love notes that almost made Louis cry when he read back over them. 

Louis told Harry that he didn’t expect anything from him for Christmas, just him being there was good enough, but Harry insisted that he had already bought the present so he may as well give it to him, Louis didn’t think that Harry could top his birthday present, but Harry said he’d give it a shot anyway. First, Harry had gotten him another wall plaque, which said, ‘I kiss better than I cook’, Louis just smiled at Harry and said he’d definitely be putting it up in the kitchen because it was certainly accurate about Louis. Harry had then given him a necklace, which had a bird on it, Harry had explained that one of his tattoos was an empty bird cage and that Louis was the bird, and if he ever needed to fly away he could, but Harry wanted him to know that he always had a place with Harry, or more simply the bird had a place in the bird cage. The next one was a gift voucher of sorts, really it was just Harry’s writing on a piece of paper saying, ‘I don’t think you can get gift vouchers for this, so just listen to me.’ Harry then went on to explain how he knew Louis wanted a new tattoo, as he’d been talking about it for a while, so Harry wanted them to get matching tattoos, something that held some significance of their relationship and that Harry would pay for the both of them. Louis just smiled with tears in his eyes, and leapt off the sofa and dove into Harry’s arms, thanking him. Not caring that his family or Harry’s family were watching.

It was then Louis’ turn to give Harry his present, Louis was nervous, he really didn’t think that he could top anything Harry got him. Louis’ first present was a joke of sorts, it was a new pair of boots for Harry, Harry just rolled his eyes at Louis and thanked him anyway, though somehow Louis knew that these shoes would now become Harry’s favourite. Louis had then gone into the spare room and gotten Harry’s next present which was a guitar, the guitar had markings on it when Harry looked closer he saw it was words. He looked up at Louis, and Louis then went onto explain he thought that Niall could teach him, and that if Harry didn’t like the words he could rub them off, they would wash off, but if he wanted to keep them he’d have to go over them in Sharpie. 

When Harry read the words he saw that it was different things the two had said such as, ‘I love you’, ‘he has changed my life’, ‘he is very special’, ‘I’m in love with the fool’, ‘I can hear your heartbeat’, ‘you’re brilliant’, ‘I am just really happy that I met him’, ‘oops’, ‘hi’, ‘I won’t hurt you, Harry’, ‘Green eyes’, ‘Lou’, ‘Harold of the bakery’, ‘I like you’, ‘Cute boy from the bakery’, ‘McCurlington’, ‘home is where the heart is’, ‘cup of tea, please’, ‘I’m going to kiss you now, Lou’ and ‘I can deal with a few tears falling every once in a while, it's good for you really, so nothing gets built up’, which according to Louis was one of his favourite things Harry had said to him, because it was just so honest and out of the blue. Also, Louis had written a lyric from Terrible Things in bigger writing than anything else on the guitar, it said, ‘I can tell by your eyes that you’re in love with me’. Harry just looked up at Louis and smiled widely, before pulling him into a hug telling him he loved it and they would definitely be going over the words and adding more in the time to come. Louis then told him to turn it over and look at the back, when Harry did he saw a drawing of the two of them together holding hands, it looked like something Zayn would draw and when he asked Louis, he found out he was right, that Zayn had drawn it. Around it were all doodles obviously drawn by Louis, there was a few love hearts, cupcakes and cups of tea, there were also a lot of other things that reminded Harry of their relationship. Louis told Harry that the drawings on the back were drawn in permanent, as you wouldn’t see them most of the time anyway so Louis thought that was okay. Harry just hugged him again, loving the feel of his arms around him, providing him with warmth and safety.

***  
After the interview, things went quite crazy for the two of them with paparazzi everywhere wanting to get a picture of what was now being called, ‘Britain’s best couple’. Though Louis didn’t mind much, he just liked that now he didn’t have to hide anything with Harry, they could be themselves and it was okay. Of course, they did get ridiculed for ‘promoting homosexuality’, but the magazine that had given that statement had received a lot of backlash from the public. Appalled, this was the twenty-first century and yet we were still struggling for equality. Louis was glad that they received a lot more love than hate, though of course some of Louis’ fans were devastated, though the majority of his fans just said ‘I told you so’. Everyone loved Harry, and Louis couldn’t be happier, a month after the interview he did an interview for a magazine about Harry, it was the first time he’d publicly spoke of him since they came out. Thankfully, the magazine quoted him word for word, and portrayed Harry in the light Louis hoped for. Though after reading it and with some of the things he said Harry did call him a ‘sappy git’. Louis just smiled and told him he was being honest, and honesty is the best quality. The magazine mainly asked the stereotypical questions, ‘Where did you meet?’, ‘How long have you been dating?’, ‘Is he the one?’ etc. Louis happily answered every question.

Harry’s twitter follower count had increased considerably, it was quite high before, but now that he was Louis Tomlinson’s boyfriend, he seemed to go up in status. Not many understood Harry’s tweets, Louis just laughed every time he saw Harry babble on about rubbish when he tweeted. Two months after the interview and on their six-month anniversary, Harry tweeted Louis.

 **@Harry_Styles:** @Louis_Tomlinson This is still my favourite photo of us. Happy six-month anniversary, Lou, I hope for many more anniversaries like this. pic.twitter.com/wgjSY3ow5h

The picture Harry tweeted was the one the boys had taken when they were sleeping on Louis’ sofa; they were lying together with content smiles on their faces, both leaning into each other. Now Louis thought about it, he didn’t think they could get any closer in that picture. Louis smiled, retweeted and favourited it, he then replied telling Harry how he was now the sappy git, and that he loved him loads. 

***  
After that, time seemed to fly by for the pair, with Harry working tirelessly to complete his second year in UNI, and Louis auditioning for new film roles, one of the films he’d starred had just been released, so he was doing a lot of press work for it. The premiere for that movie was great, obviously Harry went with him to the premiere, and the paparazzi almost couldn’t get enough of Harry as much as they couldn’t get enough of Louis. They had so many pictures together; Harry thought he may never be able to see again. Even a few of the interviewers wanted to ask Harry a few questions, questions which Harry had to answer without Louis standing by his side, because Louis had been dragged off by someone to go and do another interview. Harry just looked at the woman intensely; he thought he must look really silly, looking so nervous. He gained some composure, and looked at the interviewer and smiled. 

She smiled back at him, “Hi Harry. How’re you?”

“I-I’m good, how are you?” He asked politely, he had his hands positioned behind his back, he thought maybe this would look better, but really he was only trying to hide his hands shaking, he could feel his legs beginning to shake and was suddenly glad this was only an upper body camera shot. He just wished Louis was there with him. The interviewer just smiled in reassurance and told him she was fine. 

“So, this must we weird for you? You were just kind of thrust into fame weren’t you? Must be quite a difficult life change.” Harry took a few calming breaths before speaking.

“I’ve never really thought about it, but yeah I guess so. I mean I’m not the one who is really famous, that’s Louis. As long as I have him, I think I’ll be fine.” The interviewer just smiled at him. Harry heard Louis voice, then turned to look for where he was and saw that he was quite close to Harry, maybe four steps for Harry to walk, he saw that Louis was quite into the interview, and didn’t seem nervous at all Harry envied him. He wished that Louis was here and they were being interviewed together. 

“Do you think Louis’ fame ever get too much for you to handle? I can imagine him flying off to different countries to film must be difficult, what with you still in school.” Harry wasn’t sure what she was implying, he then thought she might be implying that Louis may leave him when he was flying around the world, he might find someone better, she had just unconsciously highlighted one of Harry’s biggest fears. He hoped his facial expression didn’t give too much away, but right now he just wanted Louis, and he seemed so far away. She must have noticed his facial expression because she reached out her hand and put it on his arm, Harry was glad that the cameras couldn’t see because he subtlety pulled his arm away. He was becoming more and more nervous by the second. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way, merely checking if you’d ever leave Louis.” He looked at her shocked.

“I’d never leave Louis permanently.” He said strongly, sounding more confident than he felt. “I know it’s not ideal, me being in UNI and him being an actor, but we deal with it because at the end of the day we both love each other, and I can’t imagine my life without him.” She just looked at him with a smile.

They continued talking about Louis for a while, how Harry’s life had changed since meeting Louis, Harry knew she was really trying to get something on Louis and he didn’t like it. He kept looking around for Louis but he couldn’t see him anywhere, he began to get nervous, he felt like he didn’t belong here. He could feel his palms beginning to sweat as he searched for Louis amongst the masses of people, in reality he had no chance of finding him, but that didn’t stop him looking. He tried to be as nice as he could to the interviewer, but really his mind was racing, Louis had left him alone at this massive premier, it’s not like Harry needed to be monitored and guarded, but he’d never been to a premier as a fan, let alone walked the red carpet. He moved away from the interviewer after bidding her goodbye, he walked around trying to find Louis. He could feel his breath quickening, if he couldn’t find Louis within the next ten minutes, he would look for someone who at least looked a bit familiar, if not he would try and call Louis. Then, when all else failed, he would hide himself in the crowd, and then eventually walk back to their house. 

After Harry got bored of walking, he found an unoccupied corner which he decided looked like a good enough hiding spot, he took out his phone and tried to ring Louis, no answer. He tried again. No answer. Harry could feel his hands beginning to shake as he tried to type a message to Louis, begging him to come and find him. He couldn’t stop thinking about what the interviewer had said about Louis’ fame getting to be too much for Harry, what if that was what was happening now, what if Louis realised how much more he could have, how much better he could have, rather than Harry. Harry then realised Louis had left him. 

He was alone.

Harry decided he’d go for a walk down the carpet again to take his mind off things, the paparazzi must be having a field day, Harry could see the headlines now, ‘Louis Tomlinson’s lost puppy’. Harry walked a little bit more before he saw Louis’ mum a few steps away from him, Harry let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. He walked toward Louis’ mum, when he arrived at her she was facing away from him but he tapped her shoulder, she turned around and he gave her a giant hug, he could feel himself shaking in her arms. When Jay saw who it was she hugged Harry back just as hard, rubbing her hand up and down his back trying to soothe him. Once she’d gotten out what was wrong from him, her face softened, and she told Harry that it was okay, he’d see Louis really soon and for the time being he could stay with her. Harry just held tightly onto her arm as she walked around, almost like a toddler scared of losing his mum in the shop. Harry couldn’t stop thinking about Louis, and how Louis had left him; he kept thinking that really the interviewer was right. 

Harry walked around with Louis’ mum for a while, he was having fun talking to her and slowly calming down, he saw some people Louis had mentioned to him before, but he didn’t dare go over and say hello. He was having a nice time with Jay, until an interviewer called the two of them over, obviously wanting their opinion of Louis’ new movie, and what he is really like at home, etc. Harry liked this interviewer better than the last one; he definitely wasn’t as rude. After about five minutes of talking to the interviewer Harry felt arms wrap around his waist from behind, he could smell the scent he had become so used to and sighed, leaning back into Louis’ chest contently, finally becoming fully calm.

“Hope you don’t mind me interrupting.” Louis said looking at the interviewer smiling. Louis gave Harry a kiss on the side of his head then he moved around from behind Harry to beside him, wrapping an arm around his waist.

“Not at all.” The interviewer said smiling at Harry and Louis, they then began answering questions about how their lives had changed since meeting each other, Harry didn’t think the interviewer could look any happier that he was the one who was getting this interview. Once they’d finished the interview, while walking away Harry told Louis what had happened after he’d left. Though he didn’t mention what the interviewer had insinuated. 

***  
It was now just after their one-year anniversary, Louis and Harry were getting ready to go to an awards show, for which Louis was up for three nominations, ‘Best Actor’, ‘Best on screen ensemble’ and ‘Best movie’. Louis believed that maybe the film would win ‘Best movie’, but he really didn’t think he’d win ‘Best Actor’, who knows though, he really enjoyed making the film so even if he didn’t win, he wouldn’t be extremely disappointed because he had such a good time filming and in his mind the film came out great, so he didn’t need an award to prove it. When Louis had told Harry about the award show a month ago, Harry had gotten really nervous, knowing he’d have to walk down a red carpet again. His hands started shaking and sweating when Louis was telling him, Louis knew that Harry had a bad time last time and he didn’t forgive himself, he shouldn’t have left Harry alone. Over time Louis had convinced Harry to tell him what the interviewer had told Harry, Harry told him that the interviewer hadn’t said Louis would leave him, but she’d made Harry think that eventually Louis would realise how much better he could have. Louis just looked at Harry sadly.

“I’d never want anyone other than you, you must know that, Harry.” Louis had told him, Harry just looked at Louis in response, before shaking his head and looking down. Louis took Harry’s hands into his own. “Harry, I love you. I love you so much I think I might burst. It actually hurts how much I love you; I feel like if I ever left you there would be this void of space in my life, I would never feel complete again. I thought you realised how much you meant to me when I got the first bloody word you said to me tattooed on my arm. I can’t even put it into words how much I love you, words they just don’t seem to be enough anymore. I feel like I’m drowning in my love for you, bloody hell, Harry. I love you more than life itself, as cliché as this sounds, you are my world, Harry, you are my reason for living. I’d live in poverty for the rest of my life if it meant I got to see you smile everyday.” Harry leaned forward and buried his face into Louis’ chest, Louis just held him until he calmed once more. 

After that, Louis realised why Harry was so nervous for this, but Louis had assured him that nothing was going to happen and Louis would stay by his side for the entire night, and that’s what Louis did. 

He didn’t leave Harry’s side once; they were sitting next to each other and kept whispering things throughout the entire show, the movie Louis had been in had won all the awards it had been up for so far, and next was ‘Best Actor’, Harry could feel Louis’ hand shaking where it was placed on his thigh, he just moved his hand so that it was laying over the top of Louis’, and when Louis looked at him he moved to kiss him on the cheek whispering in his ear that everything was going to be fine. It was no surprise to Harry when Louis’ name was called, Louis jumped up from his seat pulling Harry up with him and enveloped him in a hug, Harry just laughed, pulling back from the hug telling Louis he needed to go and accept his award, Louis gave him a kiss on the lips and a wink before walking off, leaving Harry clapping behind him the entire time he was walking. 

Once Louis had gotten his award, he looked out to the crowd and he could just barely see Harry smiling widely at him, he took a breath before he began talking, “Wow. I know a lot of people say this, but I seriously didn’t expect to be standing here tonight accepting his award. The nominees for this award were just outstanding, and it’s an honour that I was even considered to be among them, I mean Robert Downey Jr, this guy is Iron Man. When I first met Harry, and told him I was an actor, one of his first questions was referring to how famous I was, and he used Robert Downey Jr as the top or most famous example, and I told him that one day I dreamt of being as famous as Robert Downey Jr, and here I am. I was actually shaking earlier, Harry had to hold my hands so they’d stop shaking, I was so nervous, I don’t know why because I’ve attended many other award shows, but this one seems more nerve-wrecking. I have a lot of people I want to thank for this award, the fans, my fellow actors, the team that worked on the film, my publicist, but most of all I want to thank Harry, since he has come into my life everything seems to have gotten better, I don’t think he has realised how much of an impact he has had on my life, but I know in my heart he has made me a better person, and a better actor. I think personally he deserves an award for just sticking around, I’m not the nicest of people when I come home from a day of filming and I shout at him because I’m tired and want to go to sleep, but he takes it in his stride and pulls me onto the sofa and plays with my hair until I fall asleep. Harry is my rock, and although he doesn’t believe me sometimes, I love him very much and I wouldn’t be standing here with his influence and guidance. So this one is for you, Green eyes.” Louis held up the award while everyone clapped for him, he was lead off stage and backstage where he had a photo with his award and was quickly interviewed about receiving the award. 

Once he was finished he was quickly lead back to his seat where he saw Harry watching the stage with a smile on his face, he took the seat next to Harry and smiled when Harry leaned over and kissed him, whispering a thank you in his ear when he was done. Harry then leaned closer to Louis for the rest of the show, taking one of Louis’ hands in both of his and placing them on his lap. Louis concluded that that night was a good night for the pair of them.

***  
It was September and Niall’s birthday when Louis introduced Harry to the ‘Lyric Game’, as he so called it. They were out for a meal, and their meal was taking too long to come so all five boys were bored. Of course, Louis, Niall, Zayn and Liam had all played the lyrics game before but Harry was none the wiser. 

“What you do is, you say a lyric from a song, but it can’t be obvious. Then everyone else has to try and guess the name of the song and the one who gets it right has the next turn in thinking of a lyric.” Niall explained excitedly. “I’ll go first.” He thought for a moment before, “While I was falling.” Everyone seemed to think for a moment; Harry even thought he heard Louis humming beside him. 

Zayn shook his head, “Mate, I’m going to need a bit more than that.”

Niall agreed before saying, “While I was falling, and I didn’t mind.” Niall said proudly. “That’s all you’re getting.” 

Everyone went back to thinking, before Louis shouted that he knew the answer, “When There Was Me and You, from High School Musical.” Everyone groaned at this, well everyone except for Harry. “Come on Ni, you always do High School Musical songs, change it up a bit.” Niall just pouted. 

Louis seemed to think for a moment before telling the boys he had a song, “Every kiss was never ending.” Once again everyone was thinking, Harry just smiled when he knew the answer to the song, Louis looked at him with raised eyebrows. 

“Wouldn’t It Be Nice, The Beach Boys.” Louis smiled at Harry and gave him a high five. Then told him it was his go, Harry thought for a moment, he then smiled.

“Can’t shine as bright as you.” Harry thought that this may be quite difficult for them to get, he wasn’t giving a lot away and he was almost certain that they would ask him for a bit more, when he saw the expectant look on Louis’ face he sighed, “Can’t shine as bright as you, I swear it’s true.” Everyone thought longer for Harry’s than they had for the others, Harry was quite proud. 

Well until Zayn claimed to know the answer, “Hey There Delilah, Plain White T’s.” He said smugly. Before looking over and seeing that their food was coming.

Louis just smiled at Harry as his food was placed in front of him, “Looks like you’re good at this one, Harold. We may have to play again.” The rest of the night just passed nicely, with only a few disruptions from paparazzi as they were leaving the restaurant, the five boys had a nice catch up with each other, asking Harry how his last year of UNI was going so far and what Harry would do after it, Louis thought Harry was extremely quiet when asked about the future, but he didn’t dwell on it too much.

***  
Louis and Harry had now been together for nineteen months; Harry liked that number, nineteen months he’d spent with his Louis. Only five more months until they’d been together for two years, Harry’s longest relationship. Right now it was a Saturday, he’d completed any work he needed to do for UNI the night before, so now he was sat on the sofa reading through his twitter feed, waiting for Louis to come home from shopping. He saw a tweet that caught his attention. 

**@EllovesLou518:** #unpopularopinion I liked Eleanor and Louis’ relationship more than I like Louis and Harry’s, Harry isn’t good enough, Eleanor was better. pic.twitter.com/wgjSY9dj4d

Harry clicked the picture, and there he saw a collage of pictures of Eleanor and Louis, some of them kissing, others of them hugging. Harry was shocked, Louis had never mentioned he had been in a relationship with Eleanor, Harry thought they were just friends, when he’d met Eleanor she had never said anything about being in a relationship with Louis before. Harry just searched on twitter ‘Eleanor and Louis’; he looked through the tweets while waiting for Louis to get home. 

He didn’t have to wait long, Louis got home around ten minutes later, and he saw Harry looking on his phone, he put the shopping bags in the kitchen and went to sit over by Harry.

“What are you looking at there Harry?” 

Harry looked up from Louis, Louis was surprised to see he wasn’t smiling like Louis was; Louis frowned quickly and raised his eyebrows at Harry, waiting for him to speak. “Just Eleanor and your relationship, seems you two are closer than I first thought.”

Louis coughed, and looked at Harry’s phone, there displayed pictures of him and Eleanor kissing. “Yeah, we dated for like five months about a year before I met you. We kind of just decided that we did love each other but more like a brother and sister would love each other. Why?”

Harry shook his head looking away from Louis, “Just thought you’d tell me that one of your best friends is actually your ex!” Harry said, his voice becoming louder slightly. 

“I don’t see how it even matters.” Louis said reaching for Harry’s hand who quickly pulled away standing up. 

“It matters because it makes it that much easier for you to realise that you deserve better, you deserve her and not me. It makes it easier for you to leave me and go to her.”

Louis sighed annoyed, “Harry, this is getting boring now. When are you going to realise that I love you. Not her. You. I don’t understand how it is so difficult to comprehend. I get that you have insecurities but seriously get over it, I’m sick and tired of you acting like a child all the time.” Louis shouted, he then realised what he had said and brought his hand over his mouth in shock. “Harry, I didn’t mean that, I just, I’m just annoyed you don’t understand.”

Harry cut him off before he could say anymore, “Don’t try and justify yourself when you can’t even make up a good excuse for why you said it. You obviously meant it, or you wouldn’t have said it. I just wanted to know why you kept this from me, but if I am annoying you then fine.” Harry spoke before walking into their room. Louis quickly got up and followed.

“I’m keeping stuff from you? This isn’t just about me, what about you?” Louis called after Harry, walking into their bedroom.

Harry stopped where he was standing next to the bed, he turned to Louis shocked, “What about me?”

Louis sighed, “You have been so secretive lately, whenever I ask you what you’re going to do after UNI, you change the subject, same with the boys. You have been keeping a lot from me, being as secretive as you are I could almost assume you are cheating on me. Is that why you can’t accept I love you, because you can’t bare to think that I’m getting attached when you go and see your bit on the side.” Louis said angrily, tears building in his eyes. 

Harry opened his mouth in shock, “You think I’m cheating on you?” Louis only nodded in response, a tear sliding down his cheek. “No. Don’t you dare start crying. How dare you. You are the first person I’ve let in since my last relationship. Did it ever cross your mind that I’m insecure because that relationship wasn’t sunshine and rainbows? No it didn’t because all you can think of is yourself. How dare you even imply that I’m cheating on you. I can’t even believe you right now. I don’t even want to look at you.” Harry turned away, he could feel himself getting angrier, Louis thought he was cheating on him, Louis didn’t trust him. He could feel the tears building in his eyes, he quickly wiped his eyes trying to disguise it. 

“Harry, I’m sorry, please.” Louis said trying to reach for Harry. Harry just pulled away and went into their cupboard getting bag out, he started packing some of his clothes, though it was difficult with Louis beside him taking out clothes he put in the bag, Louis was crying uncontrollably now, Louis tried to grab his hand again to stop him. "Please."

“Don’t touch me.” Harry said, Louis backed away. “You don’t trust me, Louis. How can you not trust me? What have I done to make you doubt me? The most important thing in a relationship is trust, and if you don’t trust me, then what do we have?” He spoke with tears running down his face, he kept his eyes on the bag, never once looking up at Louis. 

“I’m sorry, I was just worried. You can’t leave. Just, no. I, I will make it up to you. Please, please, Harry.” Louis said through his sobs, as he once again grabbed Harry’s clothes that were in his bag and started throwing them out, this time Harry just let him. “Don’t leave me, please. Harry, y-you don’t understand. You can’t leave me.”

They stood in silence for a few moments, with Louis still throwing Harry’s clothes around the room sobbing, before Harry spoke. “I’m thinking of joining the army.” Harry said calmly, Louis stopped dead, one of Harry’s jumpers in his hand. “I don’t know what I want to do after UNI, I want to open a bakery or cake shop, but I don’t have enough money so I’m going to join the army while I save, if I don’t know what I want to do so I may as well do something productive.”

Louis turned towards Harry, Harry’s jumper still in his hands, his eyes still red and swollen with tears still falling down his face. “I’ll give you the money.”

Harry shook his head, “No. This is something I need to do on my own. I need to find myself, Lou. It sounds silly but I think it will help.”

Louis backed away from the bed, until he bumped into a wall, which he then slid down bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around his knees, he clung to Harry’s jumper, holding it close to his chest while he cried. “You can’t.” He said brokenly, “People die there, you could die there. Harry, you, you can’t, I could lose you forever. Harry, I, I planned on spending the rest of my life with you.”

Harry sighed, and slid down the wall sitting next to Louis. “This wasn’t how I wanted to tell you.”

Louis looked up at Harry, anger in his eyes, “No, right in the middle of an argument is a brilliant time to tell me. How were you going to tell me? Throw me a party? ‘Oh hey Lou, I plan on going to the army and risking my life every bloody day. Surprise.’ You’ve been thinking about this for a while, when we went out for Niall’s birthday and the boys asked about your future you went quiet, I bet you were thinking about it then. That was six months ago.” Louis said coldly.

Louis looked back down to his knees, tears still streaming down his cheeks, Harry sighed, “I was never sure if I wanted to do it. It’s not forever anyway, I could leave if I wanted.” Harry looked at Louis, but Louis wouldn’t meet his eyes, he just continued staring at his knees looking vulnerable, like a child who had done something wrong. 

“That’s if you live that long.” Louis mumbled, Harry could just make out what he was saying as his words were muffled by his hands that were now placed over his face.

Harry pulled Louis’ hands away from his face and into his own, “Louis, I’ll be fine. Pinky promise.” Harry moved his hands from where he was holding Louis’ and held out his pinky. Louis just continued crying and pushed away Harry’s hand, getting up walking away from Harry.

“So you’re going to do this even if I don’t want you to. My opinion doesn’t matter?” Louis said angrily still facing away from Harry.

Harry got up and followed Louis, “Of course your opinion matters, but Lou, you have to understand, I need to do this. I need to find myself and I think this would be a good place to start.” 

Louis huffed as he turned to face Harry, puffy eyed, “But you know who you are. You’re my cute boy from the bakery.”

Harry just shook his head, “Maybe being ‘Louis Tomlinson’s boyfriend’ isn’t what I want to be remembered for.” He then went back to the bed where the bag lay without anything in, and his clothes scattered around the room, he went back to packing quietly. 

Louis sighed, he went up behind Harry and rested his chin on Harry’s shoulder, the two just standing there for a few moments before Louis turned his head and placed a kiss behind Harry’s ear. “Why are you still packing?” Louis sniffed, finally stopping crying. 

Harry turned around so he was facing Louis, “I think we need some time to digest this. We are both still angry at each other and I don’t think it’ll be healthy for me to stay around you while you come to terms with the fact that I might be joining the army. It’ll be hard, Lou, but in my mind our relationship is worth the effort we both put in, though I am still angry about what you said earlier.” Harry spoke each word carefully while looking into Louis’ eyes to make sure he was okay. 

Louis just sniffed loudly, feeling tears coming to his eyes again. “You’re still leaving me? I told you I was sorry.”

Harry shook his head pulling Louis to his chest, he could feel Louis’ body shaking again, and he could feel Louis’ tears covering his t-shirt. “Never leaving you, Lou. I’m just going to stay at Niall’s for a few days or something. I think it’s best if we spent some time apart, absence makes the heart grow stronger after all.” 

Louis didn’t reply, he just stepped out of Harry’s arms and went back against the wall, slid down it once more until he was sitting with his knees pressed against his chest and his head buried in by his knees, he began sobbing uncontrollably once more. Harry looked at Louis with a sympathetic glance before turning back to packing his stuff. Once he had gotten everything he needed in one bag, he turned towards Louis again who hadn’t moved an inch and was still crying. Harry knelt down in front of Louis and moved his hand so that it was on Louis’ chin, he lifted Louis’ head up so Louis could look him in the eye. “Goodbye, Lou.” Saying this just made Louis cry even more.

Before Harry turned to leave, Louis grabbed his arm, gaining some composure he said, “ _Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting_.”

Harry smiled, taking Louis’ hand in his own, “Did you just quote Peter Pan?” Louis just nodded through his tears, which had calmed slightly. “I don’t think it’s even possible for me to forget you.”

Louis smiled with tears still running down his cheeks, he brought up Harry’s hand that was still holding his and kissed the back of it. Harry was smiling at him the entire time. “I’ll ask Zayn to come over, yeah?” When Harry saw Louis nod he continued speaking. “I love you.” Harry leaned forward and kissed Louis’ forehead then stood up and left, he heard Louis quietly tell him he loved him in return before he shut the door and headed towards Niall’s house. 

In the house Louis had just curled up into an even smaller and tighter ball, burying his head into the jumper that he still held in his arms, it still smelt like Harry. It was his only reassurance Harry hadn’t left him. 

***  
Six days after that, Louis still hadn’t gone out of the house, he had Zayn stay over so that he didn’t feel lonely. Zayn was a great help for Louis, he had reassured him that everything was okay, and Harry would never leave him. 

Louis was sat curled on the sofa watching Love Actually, which just made him cry even more because he used to watch that film with Harry. He heard the door open and called for Zayn, who didn’t answer. Louis was confused Zayn told him he was going for a nap about ten minutes ago, he didn’t leave the house. He didn’t move from the sofa but peered him head over the back of the sofa looking towards the door. As soon as he saw the curly hair he bolted from the sofa and into Harry’s arms, wrapping his legs around Harry’s waist and crying into his shoulder. He heard Harry let out a bark like laugh, and he felt Harry rub his hand up and down his back while whispering that he missed and loved him in his ear. 

Once they’d done the greetings, Harry sat on the sofa with Louis and watched the end of Love Actually with him, when the end credits started rolling up the screen, Harry looked down at Louis who was curled up in his lap sleeping and sighed. 

“No wonder he is tired, he hasn’t been sleeping right since you left. He was worried you wouldn’t come back.” Harry jumped startled when he heard the voice, he looked over towards the door and saw Zayn standing in the doorway, and Harry just looked at him with a sad smile on his face. 

“I thought it would be better for us to be apart while Louis came to terms with the fact that I am joining the army.”

Zayn sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose, “Yeah right, much better when he wakes up from nightmares of you dying while in combat and not having you there to comfort him. The first night it happened, he didn’t believe me when I told him you were still alive and safe, he thought I was paying some kind of joke on him. A sick joke. Wouldn’t come near me for an hour, just sat curled up in a ball in bed crying his little heart out, I tried. God did I try, every time I tried to touch him he’d just scream for you. He has the same nightmare at least twice a night, every night, and he won’t sleep without that bloody jumper or teddy. McCurlington is it?”

Harry couldn’t say anything, he just nodded looking down sadly at Louis, running his hand down the side of his face. “I didn’t mean to hurt him, this was supposed to be easier.” He eventually said. 

Zayn looked at Harry who was too occupied with looking at Louis to even glance at him, he felt bad, he always told himself that if anyone hurt Louis he’d hurt them, but he couldn’t do it to Harry. Harry was a friend and Harry did have good intentions in his heart. Zayn hesitated before speaking, “I’m going home now, but just please, don’t hurt him again.” With that Zayn walked out of the door, Harry just sat on the sofa, he reached over for the remote control and played Love Actually again, while waiting for Louis to wake up again, he pulled Louis closer to him before settling back into the sofa while the film began to play. 

It was quite a while before Louis woke up again, Harry was watching the part with the play in the school and the cute little boy playing the drums along to ‘All I Want For Christmas’, becoming overly happy when the girl pointed to him. Harry smiled, he’d always loved this part, he started humming the song along with it, about half way through the hair he felt a hand stroking over his lips, he looked down and saw Louis still half asleep, Louis then sat up straighter and balled his hands into fists and rubbed his eyes. When he saw Harry he smiled, “You’re really here.”

Harry just smiled and pulled Louis to him, “Told you I wouldn’t leave you, Lou.” Louis smiled before he remembered the reason Harry left and frowned once more, getting off the sofa and walking towards the kitchen to put the kettle on.

Harry frowned as he watched Louis leave, a pained look in his eyes. He got up and followed him, he came up behind Louis as he was struggling to reach a mug from the top shelf, Harry grabbed it and placed it in Louis’ hands, receiving a thanks from Louis. He just waited for Louis to finish making them tea, when Louis brought him his mug which was obviously one like Louis’, matching mugs, Zayn had jokingly bought them for their first anniversary, Harry had a pink on which said ‘hers’ and Louis had a blue one saying ‘his’. Louis tugging his hand towards the lounge brought Harry out of his thoughts. 

They sat down on the sofa and placed their mugs on the table while waiting for their tea to cool down. “You’re still going, aren’t you?” Louis asked facing Harry but looking down towards his hands. Harry placed his finger under Louis’ chin, making him look in his eyes, he leant forward and brought Louis into a kiss, a sweet innocent kiss. 

Once he pulled back Harry spoke, “Yes, but Lou, it doesn’t change anything. I still love you and you still love me. We are the same people, you just won’t see me as much.” Louis just nodded looking down again, Harry pulled him towards his chest, they sat there for a few moments before Harry spoke again, “I got no one to send a letter to, would you mind if I sent one back here to you?” He looked down at Louis and saw him chuckle.

“Dixie Chicks? Travelin’ Soldier, really Harry?” Louis just looked at Harry who was nodding enthusiastically at him. “Of course you can write to me, Green eyes. I expect at least one a week. I will write to you everyday, give you my schedule, what I’m doing every second of the day.”

Harry let out a laugh and pulled Louis even tighter to him, Louis wrapped his arms around Harry’s torso burrowing his head even further into Harry’s shoulder. “You’re mad, Lou.”

He heard Louis let out a steady breath, “Mad for you, maybe.”

Harry smiled, “You know, Shakespeare once said, ‘Love is merely madness’.” Louis looked up at Harry, who looked back down to him when he felt Louis’ hair tickle his jaw.

“That settles it then, we can be crazy together.” Harry just nodded and leant down to kiss Louis. Louis smiled into the kiss and just with that smile Harry knew they were going to be okay. They got so lost in each other their tea went cold. 

***  
Four months after that and when Louis had finally come to terms with the fact Harry would be leaving him for army training in three months, Louis was sat on a plastic chair with Harry’s mum on his left and Gemma on his right. They were all staring up at the stage where Harry would receive his diploma and he would have a degree in Law. Louis was honestly so proud of Harry, Harry had gotten his head down and passed his exam brilliantly, Harry had ignored all of the hate that he and Louis had received after the press got wind that the two had had an argument, after pictures were leaked of Harry leaving their flat with tears down his face and an overnight bag on his shoulder. Harry had ignored all the stories people had made up about how Louis had ‘finally realised he was too good for him’. He’d ignored people saying that they now hoped Louis would get back with Eleanor. It wasn’t all bad though, many stories had given support to the pair, saying how they hoped everything was fine between the two, most of Louis’ fans were ‘getting nervous’ apparently, and they needed confirmation that their favourite couple was still together. Louis had told everyone in a not so nice tweet reading, 

**@Louis_Tomlinson:** Really don’t like some of the comments I am seeing about Harry and I. We are both still very much happily together and we hope to stay this happy for the rest of our lives. It’s our lives not yours, so you don’t get an input. 

Harry had then told Louis he had to tweet a thanks to everyone who was being nice to them about it, so that they didn’t think he was mean and unappreciative. After that the media had found another couple to gossip about, though Harry and Louis did often get a print in a magazine as they were often seen together, even more recently people were speculating about whether or not Harry would get his degree or if he’d just ‘live off Louis’ wealth’, because according to the media, that’s all Harry was there for anyway, they’d even had an unnamed source confirm it. Apparently. 

Louis sat there with a smile on his face as he thought about how his Harry had proved everyone wrong. Louis was waiting impatiently for Harry’s name to be called; they were currently reading off the list of people with the surname beginning with L, Louis didn’t even know this many last names existed. They were sat in a hall, which had been designed with congratulation and celebratory decorations, Louis thought the hall looked quite picturesque, it was something you’d see advertised which was the weird mix between modern and old, Louis didn’t know how they achieved it but it looked very good, and Louis was almost jealous that Harry got to study in this school, but then when he thought about his school life he suddenly didn’t envy Harry anymore. Suddenly they were on R and Louis was getting nervous, Harry was going to be up soon, he was getting ready to cheer. 

“Elijah Smith, Harry Styles.” That was it, he saw Harry’s curly hair and he stood up cheering as loud as he could, Anne, Robin and Gemma joining him. Harry got his diploma and looked out into the crowd and saw Louis and his family cheering for him, he winked at Louis and blew him a kiss. Louis dramatically caught; he then put it in his pocket and winked back at Harry. Harry just laughed as he was walking off the stage. 

Twenty minutes later, after all the students were told they could go and find their families, found Harry running through the crowd looking for his family and Louis. He then spotted his mum smiling widely at him through the crowd. He ran towards her and dived into her arms, she just laughed in his ear then whispered, “I’m so proud of you, sweetie.” He just pulled back and smiled at her before he kissed her cheek and moved on to hug Robin then Gemma. 

“My little brother. Not so little anymore, are you?” Gemma said in his ear, he pulled back and wiped the tear that was running down her cheek. 

“I’ve been bigger than you for a while, Gem.” In response she just slapped his shoulder laughing.

“Not what I meant, dimwit.” He just smiled at her and she pushed her fringe behind her ear.

“Ah, sibling love truly is beautiful.” Harry turned to face behind him and saw Louis standing there with his hair perfectly placed down to the last strand; he was wearing a smart top and dark trousers. Harry could see the tattoos on his arm peeking out through where the denim jacket he was wearing cut off. 

Harry smiled at him, “Well don’t you just look dashing.” Harry said smoothly. 

Louis gave a twirl, “I try, Harry, I try.” Harry laughed in response and walked over to Louis, wrapping his arms around him. Louis put his arms around Harry’s waist in response and hugged Harry tightly to him. “’m so proud of you, Green eyes. You have no idea.” 

Harry buried his head into Louis’ neck, he pulled back to look Louis in the eyes and pressed a kiss on his nose, “Thank you.” 

Louis scrunched his nose and Harry kissed it again, Louis sighed and brought his hand up to stoke down Harry’s face, “What for, sweetheart?” 

Harry brought his hand up and placed it over Louis’, “For understanding.” Louis brought their joined hands to his lips and placed a kiss on Harry’s hand. Harry smiled and turned back to where his family were standing; they all smiled at the two and motioned for them to come back. Louis was getting excited; they were throwing a surprise party for Harry. Harry knew they would be celebrating but he didn’t know it would be a proper party. Louis had arranged it all, hired the venue, invited Harry’s friends, and though Anne did help a little, Louis took most of the credit. 

When they got to the venue Harry looked up confused, Louis just grabbed his hand and pulled him along inside, when he got inside and saw everyone he smiled widely and waved his hands in the air as if he couldn’t believe it. Louis thought he looked adorable, he looked so childlike. Louis looked fondly at Harry before whispering in his ear, “Surprise.” Harry just kissed him in return. 

As the party started in the afternoon and was set to end in the night, Harry told Louis that he would go and see all his family in the afternoon then party with his friends in the night. Louis had just sat down from meeting all of Harry’s family. It was exhausting. They were all so lovely and Harry-like. Louis didn’t know if that was a word but he decided it was fitting, the more Louis talked to members of Harry’s family the more he was seeing how much everyone reminded him of Harry. Thankfully Harry’s family all loved Louis, Louis hadn’t even muttered a word before Harry’s grandma came over and hugged him, thanking him for being there for Harry. 

Apparently Harry wasn’t as happy as he implied before they met. Gemma told him that he really needed to talk to Harry about it, which Louis then did. Harry had a difficult time explaining it but Harry had a boyfriend, and they were happy and smiley until Jason decided that he didn’t want Harry anymore. He just decided one day to stop answering the phone to Harry, Harry went over to his house to see if he was okay and no one answered, but the door was open. Thinking Jason was in the shower, Harry decided to wait inside the house. He went up to Jason’s room and he opened the door to find Jason in bed with Harry’s best friend; his heart broke on the spot. Louis felt awful for making Harry remember, and he went to comfort Harry but Harry just told him to let him continue or else he never would. 

Louis nodded, “Then Jason looked up at me, he looked in my eyes, and said, ‘What do you think you’re doing here, slut?’ I couldn’t speak I was frozen on the spot. He was there having sex with my best friend, they didn’t stop. They didn’t bloody stop. I didn’t even know Aaron was gay, but obviously he had been hiding things from me. I was standing there, crying, and they carried on. They carried on, Lou.” 

Harry broke down, Louis pulled him into his arms and slid down the wall he was standing against pulling Harry onto his lap, it was an awkward place for them to be sitting really but Louis had told Harry he wanted to know the answers, why Harry’s family was thanking him, so they went into the hall. The first private place Harry could think of, Louis just looked down at Harry who had his face buried into Louis’ neck, tears staining his skin. Louis could hear the music playing in the hall, and from the laughter he could hear, he knew everyone was enjoying themselves. He didn’t mean to be rude, but he couldn’t understand why everyone was having fun when Harry felt like this. How could anyone be enjoying themselves when his Harry was crying, it didn’t make sense. He rubbed circles on Harry’s back until he calmed enough to continue speaking, 

“I ran then. Ran home, and locked myself in my room. Didn’t come out for days. I saw Jason then in school with Aaron hanging off his side, Aaron was my best friend and he just didn’t care. They both looked at me and laughed, before I knew it everyone was laughing. I wasn’t good with people anyway, and it had just gotten worse. I started shaking, and sweating, I can’t really remember what happened, it’s all a bit foggy, but I remember Jason coming up to me and saying, ‘Did you really think I loved you? You were just an obstacle for me to get to Aaron, and now I have him I no longer need you, freak.’ I, uh, Aaron didn’t look sorry. I can just remember seeing a lot of blurry faces all laughing at me, their laughter echoing in my ears, I put my hands over my ears trying to block it out. But, I couldn’t, I couldn’t get rid of the sound. I don’t really know what happened then, but then I was home. I didn’t speak for weeks. Fell into depression, not just over Jason, but my life was awful. Everyone at school laughed every time I walked past, I had no one. I was alone. I had to take my GCSE’s that year, so I gladly got my head down into work. It became my life; work was a distraction from it. When the exams were over, I suddenly had nothing to do. Nowhere to go. That summer was spent on my own, in my room. I felt worthless, I no longer had a purpose.” 

Louis grip on Harry became tighter. “I had a really bad night, it was, uh, was mine and Jason’s anniversary, and I woke up the next morning in hospital with my family crying. I can’t remember much of the night; mum said I was a mess. I then went to go and see someone regularly, but in my opinion they barely helped, just made everything even more confusing. They tried to get me to fall in love with the world, they didn’t understand that I was already in love with the world, but the world wasn’t in love with me, and that’s where everything went wrong. I just went there to make my mum happy. I went to Sixth Form College, it was a fresh start, and I made a few friends, not many. Then I went onto UNI where I made even more friends, and well here I am.” Harry shrugged his arms gesturing towards himself. Louis was just holding him tightly from the moment Harry said he woke up in the hospital. 

‘I was already in love with the world, but the world wasn’t in love with me.’ Louis wanted to scream as he heard Harry say that, it was such a Harry thing to say yet such a tragically honest statement at the same time. Louis just continued to hug Harry to him as if his life depended on it. In his ear he hummed a soft melody, calming Harry down. Louis couldn’t believe just how open Harry was as a character, he was so closed off from the world yet he lay bare in front of Louis, and he let Louis in.

He trusted Louis.

Louis had always realised this before but now, he understood. He understood why Harry thought it was a big deal he let Louis in. He understood why maybe Harry didn’t warm to any of Louis’ friends as quickly as Louis would have liked. Louis didn’t care that maybe it took two weeks for Harry to like Stan. All Louis cared about right now was Harry, the fragile boy he was holding in his arms. Harry’s head lay on his chest, Louis’ thumping heartbeat sounding in his ear, calming him down. They lay there for who knows how long, maybe six songs from what Louis could hear inside, just sitting in silence, the only noise Harry heard was Louis heartbeat, and if he were honest it was the only noise he cared about. Louis was still here with him. 

Louis wasn’t Jason. 

“I don’t care if the world isn’t in love with you. I’m in love with you, and as sappy as it is, you are my world.” Louis whispered in Harry’s ear as Harry buried his face back into Louis’ neck, kissing the skin on his neck as a thank you. He didn’t really want to speak yet, he thought he’d spoken enough to last him a lifetime. Instead, Harry just ran his fingers over Louis’ arms, hoping that Louis would understand. Louis just smiled sadly at Harry and kissed head. After a while of just sitting there, listening to the slow music playing in the background, hearing the piano sounding, Harry used his fingers and wrote ‘I love you’ on Louis’ arm.

Louis smiled down at Harry, lifting his chin up so Harry was looking into his eyes. He stroked his fingers that were on Harry’s chin down his smooth cheek, “I’m in love with you, Harry Styles. I am so in love I actually think I want to cry every time you’re near. Never thought I could love anyone as much as I love you, I was never a committed person before but I am irrevocably in love with you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, see if you still look as handsome in twenty years time, I have no doubt you will, but I’d like to be by your side to see. You’ll be the next generation Robert Downey Jr, not that he is old, but he is good looking for his age. God, I feel like I can’t even think when you’re around; you just consume my every thought, even when you’re not there. I can’t describe it, Harold, but you’ve done something to me, and I never want to let you go. I’m sorry about Jason, he sounds like a idiot anyway, and no one needs him. You have me, and I hope that’s enough.”

Harry smiled up at Louis and pressed a kiss on Louis’ lips, loving the softness of it, “’m not good at speeches sorry. You’re more than enough for me Lou Bear.” Louis glared at Harry, but then looked away and laughed, he couldn’t even pretend to hate it when Harry called him that. He hated the nickname, but somehow he couldn’t hate it when Harry said it. “I’d like to get married, you know?”

“I hope you mean get married to me.” Louis joked nudging Harry’s side. 

Harry rolled his eyes, brushing his curls out of his face, “Of course I mean married to you, Lou.” 

Louis smiled bringing his arms up from where they were resting in Harry’s lap and brushing them through his hair, “Is this it then? Are we getting married?”

Harry couldn’t help it, he laughed. How untraditional. “Yeah. I know it’s not the traditional way to ask; I mean, for a start we don’t even have rings. I have never seen us as a traditional couple anyway, besides, I’m not good at speeches, as you know.”

Louis shook his head, as if telling Harry not to worry, “I’d prefer it this way. Neither one anxious over whether we are going to say yes or not. Not that I’d ever say no to you. I like that we did it this way. I think I knew I wanted to marry you since Terrible Things.” Louis moved his hands away from where they were running through Harry’s hair, down onto his lap.

Harry laughed again, kissing Louis’ cheek, “I knew at Oreo cupcakes.” He leaned forward and kissed Louis, Louis brought his arms to wrap around Harry’s neck, getting more comfortable. 

Louis pulled back after a while, “Can we go back into the party now, I think I’d like to let people know you’re my fiancé. We will get the rings tomorrow.”

Harry just beamed in return. They walked back into the hall, Louis told Harry to wait a moment, and he went over to the DJ booth, grabbed the microphone and coughed, jokingly saying “1, 2, 3 testing” Harry just laughed and shook his head because Louis really was a loser. “Sorry to interrupt the mood guys, but I’d just like to say that Harold and I have just come to the conclusion that we no longer want to call each other ‘boyfriend’ anymore, I am more than happy to announce, that due to a mutual conclusion I can now call Harry my fiancé. By the way, don’t ask to see a ring, it was a spur of the moment, and I’m buying him one tomorrow.” Everyone cheered at this; Louis gave the microphone back to the DJ then went over to Harry and pulled him in for a kiss. People then surrounded them, and for once Harry was happy for the attention, people asking who asked whom, they just replied they’d always known and they just asked each other. Harry’s mum cried, obviously, so did Louis’ mum who was sitting next to Harry’s mum at the table. Louis’ sisters all tackled him and Harry in a hug, making them fall onto the dance floor. They even started calling Harry ‘brother’, he was no longer Harry he was now ‘Brother’. Gemma cried, and joked that it wasn’t right, him being engaged before her. 

The boys couldn’t have been happier, though it did get a bit dangerous while talking about who was going to be best man. Louis tried his best to resolve the situation by saying that they could all alternate, someone be best man for them, someone else be best man for Zayn and Perrie when they got married and someone else be best man for Liam and Lily when they got married, and someone else be best man for Niall when he decided to settle down. The boys just said this was silly. Lily and Liam had only just started their relationship.

Lily was Eleanor’s friend, who gone out with the boys and Eleanor one night and they’d just clicked. Lily was much like Eleanor, she was confident but she wasn’t arrogant. There was a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and thankfully neither Lily nor Eleanor crossed it. Lily’s brown straight hair cut off at her shoulders and her full fringe covered her blue eyes. Eleanor had met her at UNI and lover her ever since. She was quite shy when meeting the boys but Eleanor told her she was the same when she first met them, and they were just so nice and welcoming that Lily had nothing to worry about. 

Niall was another one, no one was entirely sure of his preference, and whenever asked he’d always say the same, “I like what I like. Is that such a big deal?” Niall wasn’t focused on getting a relationship anyway; he had other things on his mind. 

Harry and Louis just said they’d know closer to the time, they hadn’t even set a date yet. They didn’t even have rings. Harry just sighed, leaning back into where Louis was holding him from behind; Louis kissed his cheek his lips slightly chapped against Harry’s smooth skin. They stood there for a while longer before Harry excused himself to go and see his family. Louis saw Eleanor was sitting at one of the table on her own, so he walked over to her. 

She smiled as she saw him and gestured for him to sit in the seat next to him, when he was sat down he looked at her in time to see her adjust her hair, “I’m really happy for you, you know, Lou?” 

He smiled at her nodding his head, “Yeah, I’m happy for me, too. You know, up until I met Harry I’d always thought it would be you.” 

Eleanor laughed, grabbing his hand across the table, “We tried. Didn’t work. No hard feelings. You’re still like a brother to me. Besides, if you were to propose to me, I’d definitely want a traditional proposal, which includes a ring and everything.” She joked, laughing when Louis rolled his eyes and brushed his hand through his hair nervously. 

“Do you,” Louis started before taking a deep breath. “Do you think he minds not having a ring yet?” Eleanor let go of his hands and leaned over the table to slap him on the back of his head. 

“You are brainless, I swear. Not to mention blind. Look at him, Louis.” She pointed over to where Harry was standing in his dress shirt, next to his mother and grandmother, he was clearly telling them a story, using his hands to gesture certain things, smiling widely looking at his mum and grandma who were also positively beaming and listening intently to his story. “The boy is smitten with you. Honestly, I don’t think he could be happier.” Louis looked back at Eleanor and gave her a sad smile. 

“We argued about you before.” He confessed, looking at the floor suddenly uncomfortable with the eyes on him. He looked at Eleanor who just raised her eyebrows hinting for him to continue. “It was a stupid twitter fan, I hadn’t told him we were together before.” He gestured between the two of them, indicating he meant his and Eleanor’s relationship, Eleanor asking him why he was so stupid suddenly interrupted Louis, he just continued talking ignoring what she had said. “It initially started about you, us concealing secrets from each other and stuff and it just escalated from there, I guess. It’s the argument that had the pictures of him leaving the flat crying.” Eleanor just sighed and looked at Louis sympathetically, taking his hands in her own again and urging him to look up at her. 

When he did she brought her hand up to his face, “But you’re fine now. Every couple argues, no one is perfect, Louis. You and Harry aren’t far from being perfect, but you will always have arguments, they maybe petty or they may make the news.” She joked, he just rolled his eyes at her, “You get what I’m saying. Nobody’s relationship can be perfect, no matter how much they want it to be. You and Harry overcame that argument, you loved each other enough to carry on fighting for each other, and that’s pretty damn brilliant in my mind, Lou.”

Louis just pulled her in for a hug, whispering thanks in her ear as he did. When they pulled back he brought his hand up and ran it through her hair nicely, then laughing he messed her hair up only to have her jump back, “God Louis. You’re so immature.” He just laughed and leaned over to kiss her cheek. 

“Still need to find you someone EllieBear.” 

“Call me that again, and you won’t be alive to find me anyone.” Louis just laughed and rolled his eyes at her, before saying he was going to go and find Harry. Before he left he tapped her should and whispered in her ear that she should go and mingle, apparently Harry had some nice cousins. 

***  
The next day, Louis called his friend, or his publicist as she kept telling him to call her. Since he and Harry came out the pair had become a lot closer, so he called her and told her that he was engaged, but he needed to buy a ring. Preferably, he’d like to go and have a look with Harry, she suggested a few jewellers to go and look at, apparently they were quite low key and used to celebrities going there, so they shouldn’t have to worry about the paparazzi, usually she would have said speak to someone over the phone then meet up and do it in private. But, if he wanted to do it with Harry then they’d probably need to go somewhere, especially if they wanted the rings fast. 

Once Louis got off the phone, he looked over to where Harry was still sleeping in the bed, and he smiled, before walking downstairs ready to make him eggs on toast. Once he’d made the breakfast he put it on a tray and headed back upstairs, once he entered their room he saw that Harry was still sleeping, so he put the breakfast tray on the night stand and went over and lay on top of Harry carefully, trying not to wake him up. He looked down and saw he was still sleeping, Louis smiled then pressed a kiss to Harry’s cheek, he kept pressing kisses to everywhere on Harry’s face except his lips, he kissed his forehead, nose, eyes, chin, the corner of his eyes. Everywhere, except his lips. He heard Harry huff in his sleep and he giggled, he pressed a kiss to the corner of Harry’s mouth then another one to the other corner, he kissed above Harry’s lips, then below. He heard Harry let out a sigh again, huffing breath into Louis’ face. Louis smiled and pecked his cheek once more before going to move, but he found he couldn’t move. He felt Harry’s arms wrap around his waist keeping him there.

“And just how long have you been awake, Mr. Styles?” Louis breathed kissing Harry’s nose, only to have him scrunch it up. 

Harry opened his eyes to see Louis’ face centimetres away from his, he smiled and kissed Louis’ forehead, “When you kissed my eyes. That woke me up, I’d assume something attacking your eyes would wake most people up.” 

Louis let out a fake gasp of outrage, “I did not attack your eyes. I merely kissed them. Well if you think my kisses are attack methods, I won’t give you anymore.” 

Harry frowned and looked up at Louis with big eyes, “But Louuu.” He dragged out Louis’ name for so long that Louis had to put his hand over Harry’s mouth. Harry smirked under Louis hand and licked his palm, Louis let out a disgusted sound before removed his hand and rubbing it down Harry’s face. Harry started laughing, and soon Louis joined him, once they’d stopped laughing Louis just lay his head down and tucked it under Harry’s neck, Harry kissed Louis’ head then rubbed circular motions on Louis’ hip where his top had risen. They lay there for a while, not even talking just enjoying the silence around them, before Louis looked up and captured Harry’s lips with his own.

“Morning.” Louis said as he pulled away. 

Harry smiled, “Good morning Fiancé.” Louis just shook his head smiling at Harry.

“I’m going to miss having you here when I wake up.” Harry sighed and kissed Louis again.

“You’ve still got three months of seeing my beautiful face every morning. Don’t worry, Lou.” Louis just pecked Harry’s forehead before getting off him and getting the tray that had their breakfast on and bringing it over to Harry. 

“It’s probably cold by now.” Louis sighed looking down at the food.

Harry placed his fingers under Louis chin and brought his face up so that his eyes were level with Louis’, and kissed him before speaking, “It’s always better cold anyway.”

Louis just smiled before taking a slice of toast. They ate the breakfast together and when they had finished it, they went in the shower. Then an hour later, they came out and got dressed ready to go to the jewellers.

Once they arrived at the jewellery shop they were greeted at the door by an over quirky sales woman, they smiled anyway because right now they really didn’t care. They looked over many different rings before Harry saw one that he thought would look nice on Louis, Louis agreed, it was a simple ring with a simple pattern on it. Louis tried it on then kissed Harry when he decided it was perfect. Harry found a similar one, they did want matching ones, but Louis changed his mind when he saw the ring that was perfect for Harry. It was almost the same as Louis’ it just held a little more detailed pattern on it, they told the woman they’d decided what they wanted, she said she would have to check if they had their sizes in the rings. So they waited while she went out the back of the shop into what they assumed was the store cupboard. She came out and told them that they had both rings in the right sizes and that if they wanted to get them engraved it would cost more money and also take a little while to do so they’d have to come back later to pick them up. Harry was about to say no to any added costs when Louis jumped in and said that they definitely wanted them engraved, with ‘my home’ on the inside. Harry looked at him questionably. 

“You gave me the bird if I ever wanted to fly back home to you, and I am giving you this. You are my home Harry. Home is wherever I’m with you.”

Harry just smiled and nudged him with his elbow, “Home, Edward Sharpe?” Louis just nodded in return, and then got his card out to pay for both rings, despite Harry’s arguing that he should be paying for Louis’ ring. They then went off for lunch while their rings were getting engraved. 

When they sat down they began talking about rubbish, if they were honest. Stupid things that shouldn’t even be discussed, they even got into a heated debate about whether it was all right to warm up tea in the microwave. They didn’t come to a conclusion about who was right. Louis then decided to ask when they would start wearing their rings, or announce it to the public. Harry just shrugged and said it was up to him. 

“Oh god, I totally forgot. We have been invited to go on a TV show, a couples show where they test how well you know each other and whatever, apparently, when they asked the public who they wanted to see me and you were up there along with Phillip Schofield and his wife. We could go on that and announce it then?” When he saw that Harry was looking skeptical, he just looked at Harry with the best face he could muster, “Please, Green eyes, I saw a video and Neil Patrick Harris did one with his husband and it was the cutest thing I’ve ever witnessed. Pretty please with a cherry on top can we do it?”

Harry sighed, “When is it?”

Louis got out his phone and looked at what Harry could only assume to be his calendar, “Um, next month?” 

“Next month? A bit soon don’t you think? Is it live as well?”

Louis looked away from Harry shrugging his shoulders, “Um, maybe?” Harry knew it was though, he knew Louis knew the answer as well. When Louis saw Harry’s face he defended himself, “I didn’t tell you about it because I know you don’t like crowds and I didn’t think we would do it, but it’s the perfect opportunity, please?”

Harry gave in, “But on one condition?”

Louis smiled grabbing his hand over the table and giving it a squeeze, “Whatever you want, Green eyes.”

Harry smirked, “You are not allowed to practise or try to brush up on how well you know me, I want to see how well you know me without any preparation.” Louis just looked shocked, but agreed anyway.

Once they’d picked up the rings, they went home and lay around on the sofa for the rest of the day, deciding that doing nothing seemed a good thing to do that day. They also decided that they weren’t going to wear their engagement rings in public until the show.

***  
Around a month later, and two months before Harry was set to go off to Army training, they were backstage at a studio getting ready to go out on stage, and Harry was freaking out. Louis was trying his best to calm him down, but nothing seemed to be working, so he just ended up sitting next to Harry rubbing circle on the back of his hand and whispering that everything would go swimmingly in his ear. 

Once they’d gotten onto the stage, Harry was taken somewhere else to answer questions about their relationship to see if Louis could match his answers, it didn’t take long but when he got back to Louis, Louis could see he was smiling and suddenly got nervous. Harry just kissed his cheek and grabbed his hand pulling him over toward the presenter. 

Once they’d greeted the presenter, they started talking about what was next for the two of them, Louis just proudly held up their hands with the engagement rings on, the presenter smiled widely at them asking how it was done.

“It was quite spontaneous wasn’t it, Harold?” Harry nodded, “It was at his graduation party for UNI.” At this the presenter interrupted Louis apologising and told Harry congratulations for graduating UNI with the degree he had, Harry just thanked him and Louis began talking once more. “We were just talking and Harry said he wanted to get married, and I joked and said I hope he meant to me. Then he said yes, he meant to me. We just kind of agreed then we would get married. We didn’t even have the rings, so when we told everyone at the party it sounded quite silly, but we went to get the rings the next day and decided today would be a good day to just tell everyone and answer any questions about it. I think we'd always known we wanted to marry each other, like we have each said comments about it before, like how we want to be together forever, and really we just kind of agreed on what we both had always known. So really, no one asked anyone, it was like a mutual agreement without a ring. You can’t really call it a proposal at all.” Louis laughed, Harry looked at him adoringly. Before the presenter congratulated them, then said they should really get on with the show, so they did. 

The interviewer started asking the questions that he’d asked to Harry and Louis had to try and match Harry’s answer for a point. “We asked Harry, if you were to describe him as an inanimate object, what would he say? A slipper, a mug or a teddy bear?”

Louis thought for a moment, he heard Harry laugh and he looked up at him and rolled his eyes, “Hmm, I can see him saying every one of them, because like a slipper he is comfortable but we both love tea, and mugs usually contain hot things which provide warmth, and he provides me with warmth and comfort if I need it. But, I think he went with a teddy bear.”

“Why?” The presenter asked him. 

Louis let out a breath, “Well I actually bought him this teddy the first time he came down, got him from build a bear factory, I named him McCurlington. We keep him whenever either one of us misses the other. I think that like a teddy bear, Harry is cuddly and always there if I need him.”

“How lovely. Well you’re logic seems to be on form because you were right.” Louis just smiled and grabbed Harry’s hand where it was resting on his thigh under the table they were sitting at. 

“We asked Harry if he were to describe your relationship as a cake, which would he say? A victoria sponge, a chocolate cake or a carrot cake?”

“Hm, difficult one.” Louis thought for a moment, “I’d probably say chocolate cake actually. It’s like a running joke among the boys that we are ‘sickeningly adorable’ as they say, and chocolate cake is quite sickly, also everyone loves chocolate cake, and people seem to like our relationship.”

The presenter laughed and Harry smiled, “You’re right again. Okay three more, then we have the next round.” Louis just smiled at Harry, “We asked Harry, what he think the thing you’d miss about him the most is?” Louis waited for the options but they never came. 

“Um, specifically?” The presenter nodded, “I just want to say everything, but, um, I’d definitely miss his curls. But I don’t think he said that, I’d miss his kisses, but again I don’t think he’d say that. Oh I know I’d miss just the things he says. Like all the time he just comes out with something unexpected which is so true. He is very intelligent like that, he often says things which I love, because they are just so honest.” 

The presenter just looked between the two of them and laughed, Louis looked at Harry confused, Harry was just looking at him smiling. He looked back at the interviewer, “I can’t believe it, he said and I quote, ‘he’d probably say something stupid like my curls or something to start, but when he thought about it more he’d probably say he’d miss things that I’d say. He loves some of the things I say.’ You two are just unbelievable.” 

Louis just looked over to Harry and kissed his cheek. “It’s this one it is, I think it’s the curls, maybe they have magical powers making him brilliant.” Harry just blushed and slapped Louis in the side. 

“Okay next question, we were a bit naughty with this question, we asked Harry if when you decide you have children, would you want a boy or a girl first?” Louis just looked at Harry shocked, before looking back at the interviewer. 

“Um, we have never really discussed children. I know we both want them, but not yet we are too young right now. Oh god, this is actually really difficult. What would Green eyes say? Um, I’m going to go with a boy. I don’t know why, I just have a feeling that I’m right.”

The presenter just shook his head; “Well that feeling is correct, because you are right.” Louis just held his hand up for Harry to high five. “Last one, this one is quite hard, and I don’t know if you’re going to get it. We asked Harry, to describe your relationship as a chocolate, what do you think he said?”

Louis really had to think about this one, of all the chocolate in the world what would Harry describe their relationship as, “This is very hard, um, I’m really going towards Cadbury’s Creme Egg, and I don’t know why. I mean I guess like on the outside, like to the public our relationship is like chocolate, sweet but much like any other. But then on the inside, to our family and friends, we are really gooey, and sappy and stuff. We often like to make each other eggs on toast for breakfast, I don’t know if that contributes towards anything at all.” Louis looked at the presenter who threw his notes on the table and just walked away for a minute, Louis looked at Harry and smiled, bringing their joined hands up to his lips and kissing the back of Harry’s hand. 

“I can’t even believe it.” Louis turned his attention back to the presenter; “You got it exactly right I am in shock. You two are amazing.”

After that they were sent backstage while the other couple did the same, they sat next to each other on the sofa, laughing about what had just happened, they shared a few kisses before they were called out onto the stage again. They walked out and they saw a booth with a wall in the middle, they were to stand on either side of the wall and they each had two pictures to hold up, one of Louis and one of Harry. The presenter was going to ask them questions, and they had to hold up the face they thought fit the statement more, if they both said the same they would hear a bell-like noise saying they were correct, but if they were wrong they would hear a buzzer-like noise. 

“Who is the most likely to cry at a film?” They both thought for a moment, before Harry shyly put up his picture, and Louis nodding shrugging his shoulder put up Harry’s picture as well. When they heard the bell they both laughed.

“Who is the manliest?” Louis laughed, then covered his mouth, he held up the picture of him while shaking his head, Harry seemed to be having difficultly raising each picture to a certain height before changing his mind, he just shrugged and held up Louis’ picture rolling his eyes. They heard the bell again and laughed. 

“Who would be most likely to cry if they met their favourite celebrity?” Harry chuckled to himself, and quickly held up Louis’ picture, without a doubt in his mind. Louis rolled his eyes then decided to put up the picture of him earning a laugh from the audience; they heard the bell once again. 

“In the future, which one would be called Papa by your children?” They both held up the picture of Louis’ face at the same time, and they heard the bell, “I’m assuming Harry would be Daddy then?” When they both nodded he continued with the questions.

“Who is the most romantic?” Quickly Harry put up the picture of Louis, without even a second thought, Louis however, was more modest, he shyly put up the picture of him shrugging his shoulders as if he were uncertain. When they heard the bell Louis relaxed and laughed.

“Who is the worst when drunk?” They both seemed to think for a while, before shyly Harry put up the picture of him and not long after Louis held up the picture of Harry as well. 

“Finally, who is the easiest to wind up? Like joking wise?” Harry laughed and straight away he put up the picture of Louis’ face, Louis looked sadder while holding the picture of himself up. When they heard the bell and were told to step out, Louis walked over to Harry and wrapped him up in his arms. Keeping an arm around his waist as he walked over to where the presenter was standing. They were congratulated on how amazing they were, and how well they knew each other. 

They won the show, obviously. Their prize was money donated to a certain charity, as Harry had gone through depression, they decided to give the money to a charity that helps teenagers with mental health issues and tries to prevent suicide. Though, they didn’t tell the presenter the real reason why they chose that charity. They walked off the stage and when they were backstage Louis literally jumped on Harry, pressing himself as close to Harry as he could, chanting in his ear, ‘we are the best couple in the world’ over and over again. Harry just shook his head smiling. 

***  
The next two months sadly flew by, the days seemed to mould into one, and Louis couldn't help but glare at the clock from time to time, he didn't like it that he'd been filming a new film as well so he'd be away from Harry a lot. Somehow, not matter how much Louis wanted to clock to slow down, annoyingly enough it kept speeding up. 

It was the beginning of October, when Louis woke up the morning Harry was leaving he couldn't help but feel sad that this was going to be the last time he woke up next to Harry for a while. Harry was still sleeping so Louis just decided to curl into Harry's side and lie there, he didn't want to go back to sleep because he didn't want to waste the moment. He wanted to remember this moment forever. Louis laid his left hand with his engagement ring on over Harry's heart and just listened carefully to the beat of Harry's heart. Until the time came when he would have to get up and go with Harry and say goodbye for three months. 

Louis felt like he only blinked before Harry's alarm tone was ringing in his ear, Louis was glad that they held a small party yesterday for people to say goodbye to Harry, so that he could Harry all to himself before they separated. Louis practically clung on to him, everywhere he went in the morning. Harry just smiled and kept kissing his head, reminding Louis that he was still there. Sadly, he wasn't going to be there for much longer. Harry had spoken to someone when he'd signed up and he asked if he could leave at any point, they told him that of course he could, he wasn't being kept there against his will. However, if he was stationed overseas he would have to wait until everyone came home, then once he was home he could stay home. He could even decide that he didn't want to go overseas after he had completed training, he could leave then if he wanted. Harry had told Louis this countless amounts of times, but every time he did Louis just shook his head and told Harry he didn't want to talk about it, so Harry stopped talking. 

Harry had packed everything already, so he had nothing to worry about in the morning except making sure Louis was okay. But before either of them knew it, they were standing where they would say goodbye. Harry held Louis tightly to his chest, not enjoying the feeling of Louis' tears on his shirt, he just carried on rubbing soothing circles on Louis' back. "I'll be back before you know it." In response, Louis just shook his head against Harry's chest, so Harry stopped talking and just enjoyed the moment between to two of them. 

Harry kissed the top of Louis' head and bent down to whisper in his ear, "It's only three months, Lou. You can do that for me can't you? Just focus on your movie, it'll be like when we first started dating, and we barely saw each other." Though his eye's held tears, Harry smiled at Louis, trying to reassure him. 

"I don't want it to be like that, I want it to be like we were yesterday." Louis buried his head back into Harry's top, not wanting Harry to see the tears that were falling down his cheeks. He barely even heard Harry whisper 'Oh Lou' in his ear before he felt a kiss on the top of his head and Harry's arms wrap around him even tighter. Before Harry knew it, he was being called to go in the van to the training camp. "I've left something for you, for if you ever get lonely, under the bed, okay?" Louis just nodded.

Harry embraced him once again, when he pulled back he pulled Louis into a kiss, "I love you." He mumbled against Louis' lips as he pulled away. 

Louis pecked his lips again, "I love you too, Green eyes." Harry smiled and kissed his forehead, nose and both of his cheeks. He went to pull away. "Wait." He turned around and faced Louis again, "Our love will never end, waiting for the soldier to come back again." Harry just laughed kissing him again.

"You're quoting Dixie Chicks now are you? Travelin' Soldier. Our love will never ever end, Louis Tomlinson. I love you with all my heart, don't forget that, okay?" Louis just nodded before saying I love you again. Harry pulled away and began walking away. Louis broke.

Louis looked around through the tears in his eyes and saw all other young men, though most were saying goodbye to what Louis could only assume their Mums and Dads. Though, he did see someone embracing a girl that seemed to be their age. Louis looked over sympathetically. 

It was only three months.

He just needed to keep reminding himself that, in three months, he would see his Harry again. Everything would be fine. In three months. 

Nothing was fine now though. 

He looked over and saw Harry getting in the van, giving him a wave, before disappearing as the door closed. The van then pulled away, everyone was leaving, Louis could tell, but he just stood there, waving at nothing.

***  
When he got back to his flat, he just walked into the bedroom and lay on the bed. Across Harry's half, creepily he smelt the pillow, he sighed when he realised that it still smelt like Harry. It was like Harry was still there. With Louis.

He suddenly remembered what Harry said, he felt lonely right now, so he looked under the bed and saw a big box wrapped in a ribbon. He pulled it out from under the bed, undoing the ribbon he opened the lid. The first thing that caught his attention was the envelope sitting on the top, he opened it and decided to read the letter first. 

_Dear Lou._

_I don't even know where to start. I think I'm sorry would be a good one, maybe? I'm sorry you'll be alone for so long, and I won't be there for you. I also want to say thank you. I have a lot of things to thank you for Louis Tomlinson, firstly for understanding why I needed to do this, I need to find myself, Lou. I'm glad you realise that, as much as we both hate this, I think it will be good for us. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. My mum always told me that when I was younger, I never fully understood it, until I had to spend the time away from you when we were first dating._

_I also want to thank you for saving my life. We have never really mentioned it besides at my graduation party, but I was in a bad place before I met you, and you saved my life. You gave me a reason to live everyday. Honestly, I thought my life was over, but you made me whole again. This sounds really sappy but I needed to tell you that, you, Louis Tomlinson, are the reason I am here right now. Without you, I'm nothing. I don't know what I would have done if you left me when you first found out I wanted to join the Army._

_Right now, I really don't know what to say to you, there is so much I want to say but words just don't suffice anymore. Wear your glasses more, that's one thing I wish you'd do. They are one of my favourite things about you, when I catch you wearing them, I don't know why you dislike them so much, I think they look great. At this moment in time, you are sleeping right next to me and you have the cutest little expression on your face, I'm leaving tomorrow. Without you. We can both do it though, if ever you get sad or lonely, just think of that moment when we will meet again._

_I can just picture it right now, you'd go for the Love Actually meeting, wouldn't you? At the end when she runs over to him and jumps in his arms. I can just imagine that being us, I hope I don't disturb you in your sleep, I'm actually laughing right now. I don't know if it would be a good idea for you to jump on me though, you know how clumsy I am. I would turn a romantic gesture into an embarrassing memory, because we'd both fall over. I'd try my hardest to keep you up though. Hypothetically, I'd never let you fall. But, realistically I'm too clumsy, bit of a hazard to myself._

_I decided to make you this box, it has a lot of my favourite things in it. Things that will hopefully remind you of me, I put a few jumpers in there, I know how much you love my jumpers. I also decided to put McCurlington in there, I think now, you'll need him more than I do. I have also written out a song I wrote for you. Sounds cliche doesn't it? Writing a song for you. Niall knows how to play it, he knows what it sounds like. If you want to know what I sound like singing it, I put the CD in there for you to listen to. I also put other songs on there that remind me of you. Or of us. Also, there is a necklace in there, it's in an envelope in the box somewhere. It's mine, the one I wear all the time. You know the one don't you? I want you to have it. You can give it back to me when I get home, but for now it's yours. Like me. I am yours._

_Please don't forget that. Also, don't let me go._

_You'll understand that a little more once you've listened to the song._

_I love you so much Louis Tomlinson. I can't wait to be Harry Styles-Tomlinson._

_Forever yours,  
Harry x_

Louis looked through the box for the CD, the envelope and he grabbed one of Harry's jumpers, once he'd grabbed them he ran into the lounge, put the CD in the CD player and pressed play. Before he heard the song, he heard Harry's rough voice, "Hey Lou. I guess you wanted to know what my voice sounds like, huh? Sorry if you don't like it." Then the song began to play. 

He cried.

And cried. He couldn't help it, Harry wrote him a bloody song. A fantastic song at that. He put the jumper on and lay on the sofa, listening to the song on repeat.

_I won't let you go Harry. I promise you, I won't._

***  
Time seemed to be Louis' enemy. Everything he did seemed to take no time at all. Nothing was going fast. Everything was taking too long, the days seemed to become ten time longer, even got to work on the film didn't take nearly as long as Louis wanted it to. 

He and Harry skyped a lot though, and he'd written to Harry numerous amounts of times. Each time, getting an enthusiastic reply from Harry. About how he missed Louis so much, and he was having a good time in training, he actually really enjoyed it. Louis couldn't help but feel like an awful person. He was actually annoyed that Harry was having a good time. It was a very mean thing, but logically if Harry was having a good time then that meant he would stay there. If he was having a bad time he was more likely to want to come home. 

Home to Louis. 

But he wasn't, he was having a good time. Louis was having an awful time, his dreams seemed to come back, though not as frequently, he'd only have them occasionally, he'd then wake up and listen to Harry's CD. Constantly thinking in his head, 'I wish you were here.' Zayn, Liam and Niall were a great help though, they often tried to keep Louis occupied with doing things with him, but they were working tirelessly on their new album, so they didn't really have as much free time as they would have liked. Harry was writing to him less and less, his letters were getting smaller and less frequent. It was exactly 23 days until he was set to come home, 23 days until three months was over. Harry seemed to have less time for Louis though, he had less time to write and less time to Skype. Louis' movie wasn't taking up as much of his time as he would have liked. 

No one had time for Louis anymore. 

And it make him sad. Then like Harry told him, he thought about how in 23 days they'd see each other again, everything would be fine. Everything would be okay, because they'd be together again. 

Harry had also told Louis about some of the guys he'd met in training, they were all planning on staying on and going overseas as soon as possible. Matt was the person who Harry had met first, according to Harry, Matt was the perfect match for Eleanor. Harry had already told Matt that, apparently Matt had laughed, and said that he'd be willing to meet any of Harry's friends if they were as nice as him. Harry told Louis in his letter that he was putting Louis in charge of setting up a meeting when they got home. Dan was Harry's other friend. They were sort of like a trio apparently, much like Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry said that Dan was like Louis, he was quite easy going, and it was nice to be around. He always lifted everyone's spirits like Louis had always done, when Harry was home. 

Louis had just replied that he wanted to meet them because they sounded really nice, and he hoped they were looking after him. He did put extra emphasis on having to meet Matt to see if he was good enough for El though. 

Just 23 more days.

***  
There were 17 days left before Harry was to return, they'd been together 29 months as of this day. Two years and five months. Louis smiled when he thought back to their two year anniversary, it was nothing special, it was one month after they'd gotten engaged, and they decided to just go out for a nice meal somewhere, they didn't want to do anything too extravagant. Apparently, according to Harry that was for their three year anniversary, when he got back from the Army. Seven months, that's all that was left before they had been together for three years. Louis sighed and rolled over in bed, just 17 more days.

***  
Before Louis knew it he was waking up, and there was only eleven days to go. Thanking anyone, Louis got up and made himself breakfast. In eleven days he'd be making this for two again, he sat at the table on his own drinking his tea and eating his breakfast, he grabbed the post that was by the door, and read through it. Most of it was unnecessary things, but he came across a handwritten one and smiled. It was from Harry. He quickly opened it, not wasting any time. 

_Lou,_

_Seems like it's been a while since we last spoke, what's it been? Six days? That's a long time for us. I miss you. Everything is pretty much the same here, Matt and Dan are fine, they wanted me to say Hi. They also wanted me to thank to you. I told them about my past last night, and they wanted to hug you there and then. So expect one when you meet them._

_Here's the thing, Lou Bear, they want to send some of us overseas already, I know, crazy right? I thought so too, then I saw my name on the list. I'm sorry._

Louis' heart was racing in his chest, his hands were shaking and he could feel the tears building in his eyes. He quickly sent a text to Zayn saying that he might need him. It took Zayn around ten to fifteen minutes to get to Louis' flat, so really he needed to text him now if he wanted him fast. 

_I'm sorry. In a way I wish my name wasn't on there, but at the same time I'm glad it is, it means I'm good, right? Louis, I am so awfully sorry, you have no idea. I miss you so much._

_I'm going._

_Please don't be angry with me. Matt and Dan are going too, they will keep me safe, yeah? I leave in five days. They say we will be out there for eight months, but they said we will probably be extended to eleven months oversea. I know that's a long time, Lou. Trust me, I know. I'm going to miss you terribly._

_I also know that I'm going to miss our three year anniversary, and God, Lou. You have no idea how much I wish I wasn't missing it. Three years. It's a big milestone right, love?_

_I know you're crying now. Please don't. I hate it when you cry, I especially hate that I'm not there for you right now. Do me a favour, call Zayn? I know you need him right now._

_Apparently it'll be harder to Skype you over there, but I can call you and I can write to you. I am going to try and Skype you on our anniversary, yeah? Do something fun for me? Do something that reminds you of me?_

_Keep thinking about that moment when we are going to meet again? It's gotten you through these three months, it'll get you through the rest. I promise. I am so awfully sorry that I am not there for you. I wish I was._

_I love you so much._

_Keep smiling, and don't you ever doubt how much I love and miss you._

_Yours,  
Harry x_

Louis just cried. He didn't realise he had been walking while reading until he felt himself sit on the sofa. He curled up into a ball, holding the letter to his chest and he cried. He didn't know how long he'd been like that until he heard the door open, obviously Zayn had been smart enough to bring his own keys. Zayn frantically looked around the flat for Louis before he saw him curled up on the sofa crying. He walked over and picked Louis up like he weighed nothing, and sat down on the sofa with Louis curled on his lap his head buried in Zayn's top crying, still clutching the letter. Zayn pried the letter out of his hands, and quickly read it before looking down at Louis sympathetically and trying to calm him down. 

Zayn just listened as Louis shouted through his tears, "He doesn't care anymore, Zayn. He's leaving for eleven months and he doesn't care."

Zayn just shook his head, wiping the tears from Louis' cheek, "He obviously cares, Lou, did you even read the letter?" Louis just nodded, and let out a sob mixed in with the word 'Why?', Zayn sighed. "He needs to do this, he said he was saving for the bakery? You don't know how much he has already, he may only need a little bit more money. He loves you, Lou."

Louis just shook his head, "Why would he do this if he did? He said three months. Just three months. Zayn I won't see him for almost as year. It's bad enough I have to walk around the streets now looking at all the Christmas stuff. The only thing that got me through that was the fact that Harry would be home by Christmas. I was going to throw him a surprise party. He was supposed to come home in eleven days. But he is not coming home for eleven months. Tell me how this is okay. Please, because I can't seem to make sense of it myself. Please." He broke down again, Zayn just held him as he cried. Whispering in his ear that everything would be okay. 

***  
Once again, Louis found himself looking through the box Harry made him, crying as he did. It had only been one month since Louis had received the letter, Christmas had come and gone, and so had his birthday. He celebrated his birthday and Christmas without Harry. It seemed wrong, everyone was trying to make him happy and enjoy himself, but he just couldn't seem to do it. He needed Harry there. 

He felt pathetic, he was becoming needy, he still had ten months to go and he couldn't even enjoy Christmas without Harry, how the hell was he supposed to make it through ten months without him. That was Harry's birthday, a Valentines day, Easter, Summer and their anniversary without Harry with him. Hopefully Harry would be back in time for Christmas next year, if he wasn't Louis didn't think he could cope with another Holiday without Harry. He didn't know how many times he had listened to Harry's song, but he decided that he hadn't listened to it enough, so he put it on repeat while he wrote Harry a letter. 

_Green eyes,_

_Did you know there is approximately 304 days in ten months?_

_I don't know how you do it, honestly I don't. I'm sorry I haven't written to you in so long. Since you telling me you were going overseas actually. I was mad, Harry. So mad. It's selfish really, I don't want you to do what you want to do because I want you here with me. I'm really selfish aren't I? I don't care. I want you here with me._

_It's so hard, Harry. Living without you, I mean. I know you are coming back but honestly it's so long away, I can't even see it. I've stopped seeing the Love Actually meeting because it seems so long away. I feel really stupid because I can't even last four months without you. How the devil and I supposed to cope with ten more months?_

_You missed Christmas. It was okay, maybe it was only okay because you weren't there with me. Mum cooked this time, she invited your family, she didn't want them to feel lonely. Your mum misses you. You should write to her._

_I'm actually lying to you when I say Christmas was okay._

_Christmas was awful. Everyone else enjoyed it, I felt like Scrooge. I just couldn't when you weren't there. Christmas is about family, and this year I was missing you. I guess you can come to the conclusion that my birthday was just as bad, if you already did then Well Done, you were correct._

_The movie has almost finished filming, just needs editing then it'll be released, probably just before you get back actually. I hope we can watch it together, I think this might be one I'm proud of._

_I miss you so much._

_X Factor finished by the way, our favourite came third. It's a conspiracy I tell you. An outrage._

_I can't wait for you to come home so we can start planning our wedding, I've been trying to think of it to get my mind off things, but I don't know whether you want a traditional wedding, a private wedding or an over the top wedding. I need your input. I just want to marry you, don't care how we do it. I just really want to be Louis Tomlinson-Styles or would it be Louis Styles-Tomlinson?_

_How is your new year so far? I know we are only five days into it, but don't worry._

_Hope you're doing okay._

_See you in approximately 304 days. November, right?_

_I love you a lot._

_Yours Truly,  
Louis x_

_p.s. I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I won't ever let you go._

After that Louis resorted to turning off the music and lying on the sofa in silence. Eventually he fell asleep, he didn't know how long he'd been lying there thinking about how much he missed Harry, just everything about him. His smell, his eyes, his warmth, just him. He was addictive and sadly, he wasn't there. Louis needed him and he wasn't there. 

***  
Somehow Louis had survived three more months without Harry, and it was now seven months until he came home, and approximately 210 days until Louis had Harry in his arms again. Louis didn't know how he'd survived three months without Harry. Honestly every day was worse than the day before. Louis couldn't stand to be alone. Harry's birthday had passed without Louis being there with him. Valentines day had also been, it was a highly uneventful day. He still bought Harry a birthday present, Valentines day present, and as Easter was coming up Louis decided to buy Harry a Cadburys Creme Egg Easter Egg, how symbolic. It was Easter tomorrow, and Louis honestly didn't care.

He cared obviously. He cared enough to buy Harry an Easter egg. But, Harry wasn't here to eat it. 

He made himself a cup of tea and just went and lay on their bed, falling asleep hugging McCurlington.

***  
Before Louis knew it, it was summer, July. Supposedly the funnest time of the year, summer. Louis didn't like it. He had keep all of his windows open and have a fan on so that he could wear Harry's jumpers around the flat without feeling too hot. It was four months until Harry was coming home. How had Louis survived?

He hadn't seen Harry in nine months. Approximately 273 days.

He'd lived without seeing Harry in that long. He didn't know how he'd done it. Every day had just blurred into one, but every day felt like a year.

He hated it. 

It was now about a month until their anniversary. It was 39 days until they will have been together for three years, and Harry still wasn't going to be there in 39 days. 

Instead he would be home in approximately 121 days. 

That night when Louis was lying in bed, waiting for it only to be 120 days until he saw Harry. He wished Harry was there with him, his arms wrapped around him with Louis head laying on Harry's chest, listening to Harry's heartbeat. Feeling Harry around him.

Louis suddenly froze. 

He jumped off the bed and grabbed the box from the side. He pulled all of the things out of it, throwing them across the room. He grabbed one of the jumpers, and smelt it. No. He grabbed another and did the same. No. No. No. No. No. 

When there was no more jumpers left, he went over to the bed and smelt the pillow. No. He could feel his breath quickening, and his hands shaking. He went into the cupboard and looked through Harry's clothes. No. No. No. No. No. No. Everything was wrong. 

He quickly grabbed his phone, and dialled Zayn's number. He could feel his hands shaking, he sighed when he heard Zayn's husky voice.

"Zayn? Zayn, you have to help me, I." He could feel a sob rising in his throat. "I, forgot. Zayn. Please. How can I forget. Please Zayn. You have to help me."

"Lou? It's two in the morning. You have to calm down." Zayn could hear Louis deeply breathing down the phone. He quickly got out of bed, put on a jacket, put on his shoes and walked out of the door. "I'm on my way, just hang on for me, okay? Stay on the phone talking to me. I'm walking out of the door now."

Louis was just shaking his head, even though Zayn couldn't see him. "I can't believe I forgot. Zayn. I'm the worst. You, you need to help me." Louis just kept babbling, telling Zayn he needed to help him. How he was such an awful person for forgetting. Before he knew it Zayn was telling him he was outside the door, he sounded out of breath, he must have been running. Zayn opened the floor and found Louis sitting on the kitchen floor, with his back leaning against the cabinet still mumbling into the phone, while he was crying. Zayn quickly walked over and grabbed Louis in his arms, he lead Louis over into the bedroom and lay him on the bed before getting in as well and lying next to him. 

Louis was still shaking, "No. Zayn. No. You don't understand. I forgot. How can I forget? I'm an awful person." Zayn just pulled him so his head was laying on his chest, and began rubbing circular motions on his back to calm him down.

"What did you forget, Lou?" 

Louis just sighed, "Harry, I forgot what Harry smells like."

Zayn just let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in, "Oh, Lou." Louis just cried into Zayn's chest. Cried until he wore himself out and fell asleep, Zayn after making sure Louis was okay, fell asleep himself.

 

***  
When Louis woke up the next morning he looked around the room at all the mess all over the floor, and Zayn sleeping next to him. He slowly got out of bed, not wanting to wake Zayn and went into the lounge to watch TV, leaving Zayn to have a lie in, he deserved it. 

It was another two hours before Zayn woke up, when Louis heard him moving around in the room he quickly put the kettle on, making him a cup of tea. By the time Zayn came out of the bedroom Louis had made him the tea. He waited in the kitchen for Zayn with an apologetic look on his face, when Zayn came into the kitchen he held the mug out to him. When Zayn took the mug, Louis spoke, "I'm sorry about last night."

Zayn shook his head gesturing for Louis to come over and sit at the table with him, "What are you sorry for, Lou?"

Louis just sighed, "I'm sorry for calling you so late, and worrying you. It was stupid." 

Zayn grabbed Louis' hands in his own across the table, "It wasn't stupid, Lou."

Louis just started crying, Zayn stood up and walked over to Louis, bringing him up and wrapping him in a hug, Zayn just stood there with Louis sobbing into his shoulder. "I just miss him so much, Zayn."

"I know you do." Zayn didn't know how much longer they stood there, before Louis calmed down. 

120 days to go.

***  
Thankfully Zayn stayed with Louis as much as he could after that, he decided that he didn't like to leave him on his own. At first Zayn had tried to convince Louis to go and stay with his mum for a while, until he was feeling better. Louis didn't say anything in return, he had just glared. How could Zayn even think he wanted to leave his and Harry's home?

Harry was coming back in approximately 83 days, and it was their anniversary tomorrow. Louis wanted to sleep all day. How was he supposed to act normal on a day where three years ago him and Harry decided to get together. 

Louis sighed putting his shoes on. He was going to go out today, he still needed to buy another present for their anniversary to go with what he had already got Harry. He just didn't know what he was looking for. He just needed something. 

Harry had written to him in the previous week and said how he couldn't believe he'd been gone so long and he missed Louis very much. He had arranged a time for him and Louis to Skype on their anniversary. They hadn't been able to Skype for the entire time Harry had been overseas, so Louis decided that he would also get a haircut while he was out. He hadn't seen Harry in around ten months. He decided to make an effort. 

He wasn't actually physically seeing Harry for around another three months. He'd worked it out, it was approximately 83 days, until they'd meet again. 

Just 83 days.

***  
The next day went too slow for Louis' liking. For a start he was spending his three year anniversary with his fiancé, alone. Also, he was impatiently waiting for said fiancé to Skype him. Harry had told him half past seven, so Louis had tired to occupy himself with anything and everything up until that time. It was proving extremely difficult, at three pm, Louis had lost it. He'd cleaned the house, he'd hoovered everything, he'd shaved, he'd changed four times, he'd re-done his hair five times. 

Time still seemed to go painfully slow. Louis sat and watched the clock for half an hour, glaring at it almost trying to encourage it to go a little faster. By four pm, he decided to put on a film, that would waste two hours maximum, so he watched and film, and when it ended he didn't know what to do with himself. 

He grabbed his laptop, opening Skype just in case Harry got on there early, but also opened the Internet, looking through his Twitter feed, seeing what all of his fans were saying. Most of them were just wishes of happiness, telling him how they hoped he was okay, and that Harry would be home soon. 

Louis didn't know how long he was on the Internet but when he looked at the clock it read, 19:21, nine minutes.

Nine minutes, until he saw Harry for the first time in around ten months, which was approximately 304 days. 

Louis just watched the clock on his laptop, as it said 19:30, then passed it. Still no Skype call from Harry. 

He was probably just running a little late.

Louis waited two hours at his laptop for Harry to Skype him. Yet, nothing came, nothing popped up. There wasn't any Skype calls, there was nothing. 

He kept his laptop open just in case, then rang the boys. He knew they were altogether anyway, he decided to ring Niall.

The phone rang twice before he picked up with his familiar Irish accent, "Hello?"

"Ni." Louis smiled as he spoke. 

"Hey Lou, you alright mate? Did Harry call yet?" Louis frowned, fighting the sob in his throat, all he'd been talking about to anyone this past week was how, on their anniversary he was actually going to see Harry, even if it were through a computer screen.

"No. Can you and the boys please come over? I'm really worried."

"Oh okay. We will be there now. See you."

"Bye." Louis hung up, and checked his laptop again. Nothing.

He waited for the boys to come, and when they arrived he just showed them the laptop screen. They all looked at him like he was mad, he just gestured to it again. "Look. You're not looking. Look. You must look."

They all shared a look, before sitting down around the lounge, Zayn sitting next to Louis, and Liam and Niall sitting on the sofa close by. 

Zayn took Louis' hand, and put the laptop on the side, "I don't know what we are supposed to be looking at, Lou."

Louis just shook his head, looking down. Why was no one listening to him? "No. Zayn, you need to look. None of you are looking. Look." He pointed to the laptop screen once again. They all looked over, and saw nothing except Louis' background.

Liam looked back at Louis confused, "But there is nothing there."

Louis looked up with a slight smile on his face, and pointed at Liam, "Right. Right. Exactly right. There is nothing there. Absolutely nothing. I got my haircut for nothing. I shaved for nothing. I changed my outfit four times for nothing. I tidied to house for nothing. Everything I do seems to be for nothing." 

An understanding look finally found it's way onto all of the boy's faces, and their expressions softened, Zayn wrapped his arm around Louis, and pulled Louis to his chest. As soon as Louis' head hit Zayn's chest, he cried. He seemed to be doing that a lot recently, but he didn't care. 

Harry wasn't here.

After around twenty minutes of Louis crying, his sobs seemed to quieten down, he looked up to see all the boys looking at him with concern on their faces, "I'm okay guys. I was just really looking forward to seeing him. I'm really worried that I haven't now, what if he has been injured and that's why I can't see him. What if something has happened?" As soon as he started thinking of all the awful scenarios that could happen, he looked down into his lap and played with the hem of his top. 

"Well, they'd tell you, wouldn't they? I mean you are his fiancé, that has to mean something. They wouldn't leave you in the dark. No news, is good news I'm afraid, Lou." 

Louis looked up at Niall, "What do you mean?"

Niall smiled at him, "I mean hearing nothing from the Army, is good, because that means nothing is wrong. They only really contact you to tell you something bad has happened. So, no news, is good news." 

Louis just nodded his head. Whatever. He didn't really care right now, he just needed to know that Harry was okay. 

Just 82 days.

***  
Louis began to get really nervous when it got to 68 days until he saw Harry and he still hadn't heard anything, no letter, no phone call, no Skype call. Nothing.

He'd even rung Harry's mum to see if she had heard anything, and sadly, she said she hadn't. Louis didn't get out of bed yesterday except when he went to the toilet and made himself some quick toast. He really didn't want to move. Not when Harry could be in danger. 

The boys had to leave him, they were going through the process of finishing their album and they needed to be in the studio as much as possible, so sadly for Louis that meant he was on his own a lot more. 

He decided to move this morning, he went out into the kitchen and put the kettle on to boil, he then went over to the door to look on the mat where the letters from yesterday and today lay. He looked through and almost screamed when he saw a written on from Harry. 

He quickly opened it and when he saw how short it was he looked on the back to see if there was anything more, but alas there was nothing. 

_Dan died. I got a phone call on Wednesday at 11am, your time._

That was it. Louis hadn't heard from him in over 20 days, and that was all he had to say. Dan had died.

Dan was dead.

Louis didn't know whether to cry for someone he never knew, or cry because Dan and Harry were in the same group, so that meant that Harry had been close to death. 

The letter didn't even say I love you. Harry always said I love you.

He sighed and looked at the clock on the wall, it was 10:55, and Louis panicked, he quickly made himself a cup of tea then sat and waited on the sofa with the phone in his hand. 

He waited seven minutes, before it rung.

"Hello?"

"Lou?" As soon as he heard Harry's rough voice, he let out a long breath he didn't know he'd been holding in, and felt a tear slide down his cheek.

"Hi Green eyes, how're you?" 

"I'm okay, I guess. Considering."

Louis looked into his lap, he'd once again resorted to playing with the hem of his top, "Yeah, I'm sorry about you losing Dan. He sounded like a great guy."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Yeah he was. One of the best. He always reminded me of you, you know?" He could hear Harry breathing deeply, it sounded like his breath was choking up and he was about to cry, "He reminded me so much of you. In the way he was, I mean. He made it easier, I mean obviously it was difficult missing you, it was always going to be difficult. But, just having him around, acting like you do, just made it easier, I guess. Jesus, Lou. He was alive five days ago, he bloody laughed at my joke five days ago. Now. Now he's gone."

Louis could hear Harry crying now, he wished more than anything he could just be there, holding him. "He's not gone, Harry. Like Sirius Black said, ' _the ones that love us never really leave us_ ', I really believe that Dan is watching you right now, whether it's from heaven, or in your heart. He's not gone, Harry."

"Yeah I guess."

"Hey, ever heard the phrase, 'only the good die young'?"

"Yeah, so where does that leave us?"

Louis laughed, "Oh my dear Harold, you misunderstand me, I'm never growing old. I will be young forever. And so will you. You and I, we will stay young forever, because we have each other, love keeps you younger, no?"

He heard Harry let out a shaky breath, "Keeping your childish mentality forever, are you?"

Louis smiled, "Most definitely."

"I miss you." Breathed Harry.

"I miss you, too. Just 68 days to go, right?"

He heard Harry let out a laugh, "Yeah, 68 days to go."

Then Louis went on to tell Harry everything that had been happening in his life since Harry left, it wasn't a lot really. But Louis spoke of the boys, any news stories, the conspiracy that is the X Factor starting again, and his new film. "Yeah so I'm going on Jonathan Ross again soon, doing an interview for the film, it's being released in um, I think a month? So the interview is probably around then. I wish you were here for it."

"I wish I was there, too."

Louis smiled, "68 more days though, right?"

"Right."

After they had said their goodbyes, Louis put the phone down and lay on the bed, looking up against the ceiling smiling. Harry was okay.

Harry was coming home in 68 days.

***  
The phone call from Harry got him through the next month, before he knew it, the movie was being released. Thankfully the all of the promotion that they had to do for the movie distracted Louis from thinking about how in 33 days Harry would be home. 

The movie promotion was a lot, he was on different talk shows with cast members talking about the movie, but really the interview he was excited for was Jonathan Ross. He had gone out for a meal with Jonathan and Harry after the interview when he came out, and Louis thought Jonathan was hilarious. That interview was in two days, and right now Louis was with the boys, talking about his film. Just telling them what it was about, and that they really should have come to the premier because it was a fun night. 

The boys had been busy that night, with their album work so they weren't able to make it to the premier, but Louis had fun anyway. 

In two days he would be on the Jonathan Ross show, and in two days there would only be 31 days until Harry came home. That was a month. It was barely anything. 

He would get to see Harry in the flesh in just over a month, and just the thought of it produced butterflies in Louis' stomach, he didn't even know how they were going to do it. In all honesty he wanted to just run into Harry's arms and stay there for possibly two weeks, what would he say to Harry? After not seeing him for almost 13 months, what is the first thing he will say to him? 'Hi'? No. That was too common, he needed to do something that Harry wouldn't forget. 

He needed Harry to know he missed him.

He didn't worry though, he still had 33 days to think of something. 

***  
Before he knew it, Louis was sitting in the chair getting his hair and make up done, ready to go on the show. He was actually genuinely excited for it, not like the last time he was on the show. He was a bucket of nerves then, worried about everyone's reactions to him and Harry. He had Harry there to hold his hand then.

He didn't have Harry now.

No. He didn't want to think about it, it was only 31 more days. He could do it. He had survived approximately a year without Harry so far. That was 365 days. 

He wouldn't have thought it possible before. But obviously it was. It was now October again; Harry had left him in October a year ago. He'd come so far, coping living without Harry anyway. He still had his moments obviously, and he still missed Harry as much as he did in the beginning, if not more. He knew now, that Harry was coming home. 

Harry was coming home to him, in 31 days.

Louis was brought out of his thoughts by someone telling him that he needed to go out on stage now though. He went into the room with all of the other guests where they were sat on the sofa. He sat down, and clasped his hands together and placed them between his knees. Jonathan Ross came out and gave his introductions Louis was first up. He walked through the little corridor to get out onto the stage where Jonathan was. He walked over and shook his hand and pulled him into a hug before sitting down. 

Jonathan did the obvious introductions, and Louis told him it was good to be back because, honestly it was. 

Jonathan just smiled at him, "Almost two years ago since the last time you were here, am I right?" 

Louis relaxed back into the sofa, "You are very right there. Two years in December."

They just smiled at each other and went to talk about the movie. Which ironically was one about Army affecting people's lives, Louis again played a solider, it seemed that people liked him so much in 'The Battalion', that they wanted to hire him again to play a soldier who went out to war. Ironic, really. And stupid. The only bad thing about it was it just reminded him of Harry every time he played the role, or watched a scene. How much he missed Harry.

"You play a soldier, like in the Battalion. You have a more main role in this one though. A solider like Harry, correct?"

Louis sighed, clasping his hands together once more. Here we go. Just think, 31 more days then he can see Harry, talking about him is better, it helps him remember. He just smiled once more, he nodded his head, "Just like my Harold."

Jonathan rolled his eyes jokingly, used to Louis' tone. When he spoke next he moved his arms around to gesture the movements he was telling the story of. He was talking about his experience when he went to the premiere of Louis' new movie. He'd been invited by Louis, of course. 

Somehow, they'd managed to get back onto the topic of Harry, maybe it happened when they were talking about how much more well known Louis had become since he was last on the show. How many more awards he'd received. Including the one which he'd dedicated to Harry, horribly, Jonathan had the footage of Louis' speech, and it brought a tear to Louis' eyes. Apparently even Jonathan had found it moving. That was something.

"Harry's overseas right now, isn't he?" When Louis just nodded, not being able to speak, Jonathan continued, "You must miss him a lot." Another nod. "How long has it been since you last saw him?" 

Louis just looked down into his lap, and mumbled, "377 days."

"Oh." Louis looked back at Jonathan who was looking at him sympathetically, Jonathan nodded his head in a strange way as if to ask Louis if he were okay, Louis just nodded his head and Jonathan continued, "What do you miss most about him then? I'm sure it's a question everyone wants to know the answer to." 

Louis thought hard about this one, "I'm inclined to say everything. I genuinely think I miss everything about him, like I just miss him. I miss his laugh, I miss his eyes, I miss his hair, I miss his smile, I miss his cooking, I miss his jokes even though they were awful, I miss his personality, I miss his clumsiness. I just miss everything. I even miss those bloody boots he wears all the time."

Jonathan just laughed along with the crowd, "And how much longer until you see him?"

"31 days." Louis recited from memory. 

"You must be excited."

Louis smiled widely just thinking about it, "You have no idea."

Jonathan just smiled at Louis, then picked up a piece of paper that was laying on the table. "Harry actually wanted me to tell you something, _when the letter said a soldier's coming home_." Louis looked up and around confused. He looked at Jonathan who was just looking around whistling innocently.

"Travelin' Soldier, Dixie Chicks? What? What's going on? How did Harry say that to you? Did he write?" Still Louis received no answer. He looked around everywhere completely confused, then he saw something, something which he didn't think he'd see for another 31 days. 

He saw his Harry.

Standing there, walking on the stage, looking as handsome as ever. Louis jaw just dropped. He froze, what was he to do? He was on national TV right now, he couldn't do half of the things that he wanted. Harry looked just like he did when he left, he still had the curls on his head and the boots on his feet, he seemed older though. Wiser. He seemed so different, yet so familiar in the same way.

Louis didn't care. 

He jumped up off the sofa, and ran towards Harry. He didn't even care who was watching him right now, he just ran full force into Harry, knocking him back a bit but he seemed to keep both of them on their feet. Louis didn't realise he was crying until he felt the tears hit his cheek and create a wet patch where his head was buried into Harry's chest. 

He looked up at Harry, shocked. He was really here.

Harry was here. 

31 days before he was supposed to be here. Louis reached up his hand and ran it down Harry's face as if he were testing the water, "You're really here?" Louis almost whispered, but having the microphone didn't stop the audience from hearing. 

Harry just smiled and took Louis hand in his own, a tear running down his cheek. "I'm really here, 31 days before I should be. We got sent home early, I wanted to surprise you." 

Louis chuckled, rubbing his finger over Harry's knuckle where their hands were clasped together, "Bloody brilliant surprise." He then leant in and gave Harry a kiss. It was the single most best thing that Louis had ever experienced in his life. The butterflies were still there. 

Harry was here. 

When they pulled back, Harry quickly told Louis that he needed to run off and get something and he'd be right back. Louis just looked worried, Harry reassured him, he told him he was only walking over to Jonathan. 

Louis let go of Harry. Harry walked over to Jonathan who was holding a box that he'd gotten from under his desk, it seemed to be a paper box and Louis was confused. When Harry presented it to him, he just looked at Harry confused, but when he opened it, he almost cried. 

Inside, was a lone cupcake. An Oreo cupcake. Sticking in the icing was a cocktail stick with a piece of paper stuck to it in a flag like way, on the paper the words read, 'I'm sorry', when Louis looked up at Harry, Harry brought his hand onto Louis' face and wiped a tear from Louis' cheek that Louis didn't even know had fallen. Louis raised an eyebrow at him as if questioning him. 

"I'm sorry I was gone longer than I planned. I'm sorry I left you alone. I'm sorry you had to miss me so much. I'm sorry I haven't been here for you for a year. I'm sorry you had to miss me. Most of all, I'm sorry that I didn't realise, that home, is most definitely where the heart is." Louis just looked at him quizzically as if asking him if he really meant what he was saying, when Harry nodded Louis just pulled him for an even tighter hug, tears of joy running down his face, he was laughing, he was crying. He didn't know what was happening. He didn't care.

Harry was here. 

That was all that mattered right now. Louis held onto Harry as Harry led them over to the sofa to sit down. Louis put the cake down on Jonathan's table. Louis stayed tucked into Harry's side while Harry thanked Jonathan again for making this happen. Jonathan just shrugged it off, saying it was nothing. Louis tried to mumble thank you, but honestly, he could barely speak right now. Instead he just stayed silent, letting Harry thank Jonathan for him. Jonathan asked Harry all sorts of questions about the Army, Louis felt Harry stiffen up when Jonathan asked about the people he'd met over there. Dan. Obviously he was thinking about Dan, so Louis just rubbed comforting circles on his hip, hoping to calm him down.

Just before the end of the interview, Louis tugged on Harry's shoulder, then leaned up to his ear whispering, "Did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?"

Harry just smiled down at Louis, "Drops of Jupiter, Train?" Louis just giggled, nodding his head in response. Harry then went back to talking to Jonathan about the Army, and his future. Louis almost jumped up and down when Harry said that he'd be coming home permanently, opening his own Bakery soon. He just really wanted to make cakes now. When they'd thanked Jonathan once again, Louis giving him a hug and taking the cake off his table, keeping on of his hands tightly in Harry's, they walked off stage and went to sit backstage on the sofa with all of the other guest, sitting there for the rest of the show. Too wrapped in each other to even care about what was going on around them. 

***  
It was approximately 119 days later that Harry purchased his very own Bakery, which he opened for business four months after purchase, which was approximately 122 days after he bought it. It was very popular and not just because he was 'Louis Tomlinson's boyfriend', but because he was Harry Styles. A brilliant baker. 

Louis' fame only went up from there, he became famous in America which was something Harry was extremely proud of. It was 4 years and 8 months after they first got together, when they got married. 18th April became a new celebration, their wedding anniversary. They were husbands. They were actually married. Often Harry couldn't believe it and he'd have to look at the ring on his finger for confirmation that he'd actually married Louis. They became Louis and Harry Tomlinson-Styles. And they couldn't be happier. 

Only a year after they were married, well to be precise it was one year and 5 months after they were married, approximately 517 days of bliss. When their surrogate gave birth to their son. Their own baby. Lucas Harold Tomlinson-Styles. His middle name, they debated over it for a while, Lucas Louis, didn't sound right and neither did Lucas Harry, so Louis suggested Lucas Harold, as a sort of joke at first, then when they listened to it they found that it flowed. They kept his name at that then, he was the sweetest child ever, of course he cried whenever his Daddy or Papa weren't there, but whenever they were he was fairly quiet. 

The boys third album had sold brilliantly, and Niall met a lovely boy when he was out promoting the album. He was a sweet boy, very modest, he worked in a book shop on the corner, right next to the music shop where Niall was doing a signing with the boys. The book shop was also a coffee shop, so Niall went in there to get a cup of tea and to get away from all the fame for two minutes, when he met him. They clicked from the word go. The boys loved him, Jamie his name was. He and Niall had continuously met up on occasions until Niall had the guts to ask Jamie to be his boyfriend, then the move in with him, and eventually to marry him. They were both extremely happy, and honestly no one had ever seen Niall happier. Though there was a moment when their relationship was on the rocks, as Niall had gotten drunk and was pictured with some girl. Jamie had not been happy, but he'd forgiven Niall, obviously. They were so in love, it was annoying. 

Zayn and Perrie had gotten married with Louis as his best man, they were just perfect for each other, no one could ever doubt that. Lily and Liam, they were on and off for a while, breaking up then making up constantly. No one could even keep up. It was all a bit confusing, but right now they were on, and they had been for a while. Liam was actually planning on proposing soon. Eleanor had met Matt, and Harry should honestly start up a dating service because their relationship was brilliant, they were absolutely perfect for each other. No doubt about it.

Looking back, Louis wouldn't change a thing, not even when he and Harry were apart for a year, it was true, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Looking over at Harry holding their son right now, who was clapping his hands in his Daddy's face making gurgling noises, babbling on about rubbish to Harry who was nodding his head and seemed to be listening intently. Louis honestly couldn't love his family anymore than he did now. 

"Look, it's Papa." Harry pointed over to the doorway where Louis was standing, he moved Lucas around so that he could see Louis, Louis smiled and waved. Lucas clapped his hands giggling. 

Louis walked over and sat down next to Harry, he leaned close to Harry's ear, "I love you so much, Green eyes."

Harry looked at him closely, "I love you, too." Harry leant in a gave Louis a kiss, they were soon interrupted by Lucas smacking Harry on the face for no longer paying attention to him. 

Louis pulled back and laughed, "I'm sorry Lukey, am I taking Daddy away from you?" Lucas gestured for Louis to pick him up out of Harry's arms so he did and he kissed his head. "I love you, Lucas." Lucas just clapped his hands. Harry pouted, "I love you, Harold."

Harry smiled, pulling both Lucas and Louis close to him, "I love you both, a lot."

Louis sighed leaning more into Harry's chest with Lucas resting against his chest he closed his eyes. He was undeniably happy right now. He never thought he could be this content with his life.

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't plan such a sappy ending, it just happened. I hope it wasn't too awful. I know that some of the information might be wrong about the Army and stuff, but I just kind of revolved it around the time scale that I liked. Also I know the timings seem funny and complicated, but they did work out the first time and confused me the second. So really, Harry was supposed to spend three months in training, but he did around 2 and a half, then was sent away for approximately 11 months, meaning that he'd get back maybe November time? Sorry if you hated it.
> 
> p.s. Me and my friends play the lyric game so much, and it is honestly the best thing ever. I recommend you try it.


End file.
